Preserving Natural History Collections: The Wet Collection Masterclass

Masterclass delivered by Stephanie Sammut, Curator at the National Museum of Natural History.

In Natural History Museums collections are broadly divided into two categories according to their mode of preservation, either wet or dry.  This masterclass will cover several aspects in the preparation of fluid preserved specimens, also popularly known as wet or embalmed specimens.  Fluid preservation refers to the use of chemicals in liquid form in which natural specimens are submerged in and intended to be kept in good condition for an indefinite period.  By such preservation it is ensured that the entire specimen is retained.  The most common specimens conserved in fluid are biological specimens such as aquatic invertebrates (molluscs, crustaceans, etc.), reptiles, amphibians and fish. Some insects, plants, mammals and birds may also be preserved in fluid.   An overview of several procedures involved in this technique will be given in this masterclass including specimen preparation, documentation fixation, preservation as well as conservation.

The Wet Collection will be streamed live on our Facebook page  at 18.00hrs on the 13th of November.

Click HERE to get a sneak peek into this masterclass.

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