Seven illustration and reportage graduates and two tutors from the University of the West of England (UWE) recently visited the Digital Collection Programme. We took them behind the scenes showing them our innovative technology and the entomology and botany collection in order to inspire their love of nature. In return, the artists renewed our creativity and enabled us to see our work with fresh eyes.
‘Witnessing the digitisation process was fascinating and knowing about the digital archive means I have a vast and rich resource to access’ Jay Simpson, UWE graduate
This is the first of a series of new blogs focusing on external researchers who use the Library and Archive collections, to give them the opportunity to talk about their work and the role that our collections have played in their research. A perfect way to celebrate National #LibrariesDay! Our first post in the series is from student Zoe Barnett, who describes the importance of her access to our resources for her research into stone carving.
I remember visiting the Museum as a small child and being as fascinated with the outside of the building as I was with its contents. Now, 20 years later, I’m in my final year at the City and Guilds of London Art School, studying Architectural Stone Carving and I have to admit my interest in the ornamentation has grown dramatically!
An example of the original Waterhouse drawings of the animals that adorn the walls of the Museum
During my second year at college I developed an interest in the terracotta animals that decorate the building. As part of a drawing project I spent time studying them, and I especially liked the panels on the large gate pillars on Cromwell Road. My drawing tutor introduced me to a reference book about the drawings for the terracotta models and I discovered the architect, Alfred Waterhouse, made them all.
For Explore Your Archives Week, Rosie Gibbs, buyer at the Museum talks about how the collections within the Library and Archives provide inspiration for her, her team and external designers.
The retail buyers at the Museum are responsible for sourcing and developing the products on sale in the Museum’s shops and online store, and one of the first places we look for inspiration for new ranges is our Library and Archive collections.
Original WWI ‘The Fly Danger’ poster produced by the MuseumThe new range of products created using the poster
They are a fantastic source of design material and are incredibly important for retail products as they enable us to create ranges that help tell a story about the Museum and its collections. It is very important for us to be able to offer visitors exclusive gift products that remind them of their visit, and that they cannot buy anywhere else.
Hot off the press is the autumn 2015 edition of the Museum Members’ magazine evolve and for those who love the Museum’s paper collections there is plenty to read about.
The cover of the latest edition of evolve
Natural Histories and the mandrake
The Natural Histories collaboration between the Museum and BBC Radio 4 over the last few months included the story of nightshade plant family and in particular the role of the mandrake in early medicine and its depiction in in botanical herbal illustrations such as those held in our collections.
New Bauer Brothers art exhibition in our Images of Nature Gallery and accompanying publication
Special Collections Librarian Paul Cooper introduces our exhibition of the botanical and zoological artwork of Franz and Ferdinand Bauer. The exhibition opened on 7 November 2015 and runs until 2017. All of the artwork by the brothers on display during this period comes from the collections of the Museum Library.
In amongst the collections of one of the largest natural history libraries in the world, are some unexpected items and here’s one of my favourites:
The front cover of Entomology in Sport by Two Lovers of the Science
Traditionally the Museum Library has not actively purchased natural history material aimed at younger readers, but there are some to be found within the shelves.
Entomology in Sport is an example of a publication aimed at aspiring young Victorian minds. A miniature visual world of insects has been intertwined within the words and paragraphs of this little book. Regardless of your age, you can’t help but be charmed.
