The primary mission of The Georgia Museum of Natural History is to collect and preserve evidence of the cultural and natural heritage of Georgia and beyond; to encourage scholarship and service relating to the collections; to foster stewardship of the heritage of the people of Georgia; and to instruct people in their cultural and natural heritage. The goals are:

 - To serve the State of Georgia and The University of Georgia as a natural history museum engaged in education, outreach, research, and service.
 - To combine collections with education, research, and service in order to serve a diverse public.
 - To foster the curation and long-term conservation of Georgia's natural history legacy, including objects and related data.
 - To stimulate public interest, support, and understanding of natural history through exhibits, conferences, electronic media, in-school visits, educational programming, and other outlets which reach schools and the general public.
 - To serve the student body by promoting student achievement and providing appropriate academic support in natural history.
 - To promote collection-based research enhancing knowledge of the cultural and natural heritage of Georgia, the southeastern region, and beyond with a commitment to academic achievements having national and international significance.
 - To promote public service and technical assistance addressing the strategic needs of the State of Georgia in the field of natural history.