Workshop in the Care of Historic Mammal Taxidermy

Abstract

The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) proposes to present a one-day workshop focused on the preventive care and basic conservation treatment of historic mammal taxidermy for professionals who work with these collections, including conservators, collection managers, preventive care professionals, museum preparators, exhibition technicians, and taxidermists. This workshop was developed with funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and was presented in 2017 at the annual meeting of SPNHC in Denver, Colorado. It will be led by natural science conservators from the AMNH, and will provide participants with a thorough working knowledge of the preservation needs of historic mammalian taxidermy and how to address common condition issues. In addition to this knowledge, participants will leave with conservation references, and samples of common treatment materials. The workshop format will incorporate a combination of presentations, demonstrations, interdisciplinary group discussions, and hands-on experimentation. Two pre-workshop webinars on background and safety information will be offered for registered participants.