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Natural History Collection

Shayer Moth Collection - 1

Our natural history collections include a wide range of botanical, geological and zoological material. Mostly this has 19th and early 20th century origins, having been inherited from earlier private collectors and museums. Relatively little of the collection is displayed in the modern museums as it is mostly research and reference material.

The natural science collections are mainly an amalgamation of those from the Lukis and Island Museum (direct ancestor of the modern museum service) and those from the Guille-Allès Museum. These collections were developed at a time when natural science knowledge was developing rapidly and it was both popular and acceptable to develop reference collections for personal study and display in museums. These older historic collections cover many of the traditional areas of natural science collecting, such as insects, shells and geology, together with models, artworks and related data. They include material of both local and wordwide origin.

Since the development of the current museum service in the 1970s, a limited amount of new material has been acquired, mostly for specific display or educational purposes. Although there is currently no active programme of natural science research collecting, we continue to accept legally acquired and relevant local material in line with our service aims and objectives.

Further detail about our natural science collections can be found by following the subject-based links to the left.

  • Blaschka glass model
  • Luvar-model
  • Natrolite on Prehnite
  • Lichen - Sticta
  • Mollusc - Triton