Vox pop

“Specialist curators are being lost across the sector, but in natural history this leads to the loss of collections through pest attack; a ‘moth-balled’ collection can be destroyed in a few years without proper pest control. Also, museums without expertise reduce the scientific and educational value of their collections.

We have three options:

• Museums invest significant funds to rehouse collections to modern pest-proof storage.

• Museums lacking commitment to natural history give up their collection, and then the items are redistributed to institutions willing/able to look after them.

• Create regional biodiversity centres to house natural history collections, libraries, biological records centres and laboratories under one roof.”


“We cannot wait for other people to do the work. If we sit back and expect managers and directors to do anything, natural sciences will continue to be marginalised.

Those involved with collections need to become powerful advocates for the subject. We need to understand the agendas managers are working to, and the requirements of funders.

There can be a perception natural science collections are limited to very technical interpretations, but they are as capable as any collection of supporting work in public engagement. We just need to show people how, and to support non-specialists to do so where necessary.

It would also help if more scientists aspired to senior management roles, to help raise the profile at top levels.”


“This implies that all natural history collections are doomed to extinction. The real question we should be asking is: ‘Why is the importance of natural history collections being ignored?’

There appears to be a lack of understanding and awareness of what natural history (biology, botany and geology) entails.

As well as research and the obvious educational links, natural history curators use their collections in a myriad of innovative ways, including oral history, working with artists and theatre performances!

Curators may look after dead specimens, but the collections themselves are not dead. Natural history collections have a clear link with all areas in a museum, but without the enthusiastic, knowledgeable curator in post, these collections will become underused and ultimately lost.”


“First and foremost we need to make sure that the importance of natural history collections to wider social agendas is properly recognised by movers and shakers in the cultural sector.

Global issues such as climate change, food security and biodiversity are increasingly important. Natural science collections can help understand and tackle these issues, through their use by scientists undertaking research and artists and communicators raising awareness.

These uses of collections directly contribute to the need for museums to engage in activities for environmental and social benefit, but they do require knowledgeable advocates to facilitate use. Such collections can best be saved by being understood, shared and most of all by being used.”