A peek inside the conservators studio

By Bethany Palumbo

In January 2024, the doors of the conservation studio swung wide open as we invited museum staff to join us on a fascinating journey through the varied work we are undertaking in preparation for the new museum project.

Often in museums, the conservator's work remains shrouded in secrecy and hidden behind closed doors. However, it is important for us that other departments understand more clearly what exactly it is we do and why our job is crucial for the preservation and wellbeing of these precious collections.

Our team is currently scattered across the old Zoological Museum, working on various project to prepare our specimens for the big move. In the former exhibition space, Mikkel Post first showed our visitors his work meticulously cleaning, dismantling, and packing our beloved Diplodocus, Misty. This was followed by Nicole discussing the work carried out on the old habitat dioramas, where last summer we removed several taxidermy specimens from these historical displays after first carefully and painstakingly documenting each diorama.

Down in the conservation studio, Anastasia showed keen visitors our photography suite and discussed our processes for documenting all specimens bound for exhibition in the new galleries. Mikkel B then presented his Polar Bear taxidermy mount, which had just undergone a deep clean to remove thick dust that had accumulated unto the specimen after years on display. Finally, Bethany demonstrated the structural repairs she’s undertaking on an Auroch subfossil scapula, a crucial step in preparing this skeleton for its prominent display in the new Human Family gallery.

Overall, the conservation team had a great time sharing our work with our colleagues and send our thanks to all those who took the time to visit!