On Friday, 13th November, at 6.00pm, Heritage Malta will be livestreaming on Facebook a masterclass about the Wet Collection at the National Museum of Natural History. The masterclass will be delivered by Stephanie Sammut, Curator at this museum.
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 and intended to be kept in good condition for an indefinite period. By means of 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, fixation documentation, preservation as well as conservation.
Click HERE to get a sneak peek into this masterclass.
