[Nhcoll-l] Questions about mount and bone storange

[Dawn Roberts]

For smaller mounts, construct a stand that the branch/exhibit base clips
onto and store these in a cabinet. If your storage system includes
pull-out drawers, make sure that the stand and the attachment method of
the exhibit base to the stand is stable enough to limit the bouncing or
other movement of the specimen when you pull out the drawers.  Larger
mounts may just be fastened to the wall in a safe area. Storing them
upright will help prevent damage to the specimen.

 

There's a variety of storage methods for non-articulated skeletal
materials, depending on the funds and storage areas available and how
you want to use them. If the bones are in stable condition, you can
house them in an archival box in a cabinet. For more fragile elements,
you can create supports with archival foams: block ethafoam carved with
a heat knife is useful for larger pieces, then line the edges of the
foam with acid-free tissue, tyvek, or other inert material; plastazote
foam provides a smooth, soft surface for friable objects; create support
pillows out of stockinette tubing, cotton muslin, etc. and polyester
fiberfill. If you want them laid out for easy comparison (e.g. femurs
from different birds are housed together), line a drawer with ethafoam
or plastazote and carve little spots for each piece to rest in position
(this keeps them from rolling about).

 

Dawn Roberts | Collections Manager 

The Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

2430 North Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614 | Main 773-755-5100 | Fax
773-755-5199 | www.naturemuseum.org 



Museum Collections and Archives, Collections Facility and Office
4001 N Ravenswood Avenue, Suite 201, Chicago, IL 60613 | Direct
773-755-5125 

 

The Urban Gateway to Nature and Science

 

From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu
[mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Colby, Julia
Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 2:56 PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Questions about mount and bone storange

 

 

We are hoping to make some improvements in our specimen storage in the
future, and I am doing some research to see what our best options are.
I am particularly interested in how other collections store (e.g., do
you store them in cabinets? On a shelf? On the wall? Mounted in a
cabinet?) the following :

1.       Mounts where the specimen is on a branch that is designed to be
clipped to the wall. 

2.       Non-articulated skeletal materials, especially from large
animals (think elephant, antelopes, large reptiles).

I am interested in both what you do and what you would have done (or
what you would do) differently.

Thanks so much!

Julia

 

Julia Colby

Vertebrate and Invertebrate Collections Manager

Milwaukee Public Museum

800 W Wells St

Milwaukee, WI 23233

p: 414-278-2760

e:colby at mpm.edu

 

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