Our museums and galleries house fascinating collections, from living bugs to The Beatles, fine art to photography, the Titanic to ancient Egypt.
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Our museums and galleries house fascinating collections, from living bugs to The Beatles, fine art to photography, the Titanic to ancient Egypt.
Conservation departments
The taxidermy section is responsible for:
Birds and mammals are preserved and mounted by using the natural skin arranged over a manikin. Large mammals may take six months to prepare whereas a small bird or mammal may take only two days.
Fish and reptiles are usually moulded and cast. The finished cast is then painted by hand to reproduce the original colour. The same technique of moulding and casting is used to make artificial rocks, stones and trees to be used as natural bases for the specimens.
Freeze-drying is used to preserve invertebrate specimens, fungi and plant material. Every year, especially in autumn, fungi is prepared for the botany collections or display.
In 2002 sixty birds and mammals were conserved for the Earl and the Pussycat exhibition. Some of these specimens were more than 100 years old and required major conservation. A Lord Derby’s eland, the largest living antelope, was obtained and mounted for this exhibition.
The taxidermy section has been involved with other departments in the planning and construction of temporary displays and dioramas throughout our venues. The taxidermists collect and preserve vegetation to ensure that the specimens are displayed in a natural surrounding.
The section has often been consulted by the police (wildlife section), the RSPCA and the general public on a range of issues. These include the condition and identification of specimens and whether the specimen is legal.
We regret we no longer offer this service but our zoology department at World Museum may be able to help you with any enquiries.