The Raymond M. Gilmore Collection consists of material related to Gilmore's work in the field of marine mammals as Research Associate and Chair of the Office of Marine Mammal Information at the San Diego Natural History Museum.

Raymond Maurice Gilmore (1907-1983) was an American zoologist and a recognized authority on whales. Born in Ithaca, New York on January 1, 1907, Gilmore was raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and Berkeley, California. His father was the agronomist John W. Gilmore, first president of the University of Hawaii. Educated at the University of California, Berkeley (A.B. 1930, M.S. 1933), Harvard University (Virginia Barret Gibbs Scholar, 1934-1935), and Cornell University (PhD 1942), Gilmore conducted epidemiological research for the Rockefeller Institute in South America before joining the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1946. A research associate at the San Diego Natural History Museum from 1955, Gilmore was director of the Museum's Office of Marine Mammal Information from 1977. He conducted the first census of California gray whales and is credited with promoting public interest in their conservation by leading whale-watching excursions for the Museum. Gilmore died on December 31, 1983.

65.0 Linear feet 65 Boxes of archival material including files, manuscripts, correspondence, realia.

Copyright may be reserved. Consult the San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library Director for more information.

Access to the Raymond M. Gilmore Collection is restricted. Please consult the Library Director, San Diego Natural History Museum.