Museum Techniques

Catalog description

Prerequisites: BIOL 111 , BIOL 112 , and permission of instructor. ( BIOL 112 may be taken as a corequisite) Pre- or Corequisites: BIOL 112 may be taken as a prerequisite or corequisite. The goal of this course is to develop proficiency in museum preparation and curation techniques for vertebrates; additional topics may include invertebrates and plants depending on student interest. This is a hands-on, laboratory-based course focused on the preparation of museum-quality animals, with most weeks spent preparing Virginia birds and mammals as teaching specimens. These tasks include museum-standard taxidermy, tissue extraction and preservation, and recording standard natural history measurements. Reptile preservation and mounted specimens (using prepared molds) of birds or mammals will also be introduced, with flexibility to accommodate student interests.