IDSC was created in 2022 as a result of longstanding efforts to modernize how research and collections data is created, organized, and shared at NMNH. It brought together existing teams working on digital stewardship, genomics, and research informatics and created new roles, including a Digitization Coordinator and Community Coordinator, to encourage and organize collaboration across the museum. IDSC aims to unify core capacities and create a more efficient, responsive, and collaborative museum.