[Nhcoll-l] Workshop- 'Proper Cleaning and Handling of Taxidermy' at the Institute for Natural History Arts, NJ on June 22-23, 2024

[Bethany Palumbo]

Dear SPNHC Membership,

Following on from George Dantes email introduction, I would like to
share with you an exciting two-day workshop 'Proper Cleaning and
Handling of Taxidermy' happening at the Institute for Natural History
Arts on June 22-23, 2024.

*Course Overview:*

Even the most robust taxidermy mounts are not immune to the effects of
time. With proper handling and cleaning techniques that consider the
vulnerabilities of age and of different types of taxidermy,
collections can survive for hundreds of years. Historic taxidermy
requires different approaches to routine maintenance than freshly
prepared mounts. Conservators Bethany Palumbo and Fran Ritchie share
their years of experience caring for taxidermy collections and guide
students through the cleaning of specimens throughout this intensive
two-day in-person course. Students may bring their own taxidermy
mounts to clean, or through INHA’s partnership with the Academy of
Natural Sciences, work on actual museum specimens from their
collection.

*Course outline:*

Day 1- Introduces health and safety concerns, examination and
handling, followed by discussion and demonstration of materials and
techniques for dry cleaning. Students practice these techniques on
mammals, birds, and other types of mounted animals.

Day 2 - Further techniques are demonstrated for removing more stubborn
soiling using wet cleaning techniques, followed by a discussion on
storage and display methods.

By the conclusion of this course, students will be able to safely and
effectively take care of their taxidermy collection using learned
skills that will be applicable throughout their career or lifetime as
a collector. No previous experience is necessary to attend this
course. The course is aimed at collectors, taxidermists, taxidermy
enthusiasts and early career museum professionals who may have limited
familiarity with taxidermy collections.

*What INHA Will Provide:*

   - Private studio access with the use of all necessary tools and
supplies needed for the class.
   - Multiple mounts to practice techniques. These mounts are on loan
from a local museum, providing students the experience of working on
actual specimens.

Interested? Sign-up here:
https://www.naturalhistoryarts.org/event-details/proper-cleaning-and-handling-of-taxidermy-mounts-2


*Payments Plans are available.*

*About the Instructors:*

Bethany Palumbo <https://www.naturalhistoryarts.org/beth-palumbo> ACR
is Head of Conservation Unit at the Natural History Museum of Denmark
and is specialized in the conservation of Natural History collection
types, foremost bone material and taxidermy. Previous to this, she was
the Conservator of Life Collections at the Oxford University Museum of
Natural History (OUMNH) from 2012-2019. She is accredited by the UK
Institute for Conservation and has over a decade of conservation
experience in the international museum field. Bethany has a BA (2010)
and MA (2013) in conservation studies from the University of Lincoln,
UK.

Fran Ritchie <https://www.naturalhistoryarts.org/fran-ritchie> is an
art conservator who specializes in the care and preservation of
natural history collections. She has treated and restored taxidermy in
museums across the United States, including the American Museum of
Natural History, Zion National Park, Biltmore Estate, Buffalo Bill
Center of the West, and the Alaska State Museum. A graduate of the art
conservation program at Buffalo State College (M.A., C.A.S.), she has
also taught graduate students at the Conservation Center of the
Institute of Fine Arts, New York University and led workshops at
several meetings of the Society for the Preservation of Natural
History Collections. She is a Professional Associate of the American
Institute for Conservation.


For more info about this course and to keep up to date with our other
events, feel free to like the INHA on Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/naturalhistoryarts> and follow INHA on
Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/institutefornaturalhistoryarts/>



All the best,

-- 
Bethany Palumbo, ACR
Head of Conservation Unit

Statens Naturhistoriske Museum
Universitetsparken 15, 2100 København



Twitter | @bethany_bug
Instagram | @palumbo_conservation
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