Natural History collections and the Museums

In the 16th and 17th centuries, major Natural History objects were the playing ground of the wealthy. Very much as in art today. In these early centuries of the development of the world the wealthy housed their Natural History collections in especially conceived buildings to house them: they were called Curiosity Cabinets.

During the sale of the Van Lennep collection in Paris, in 1758 - at auction - a strange thing happened: a painting of Vermeer went higher in price than a Conus cedonulli from the Caribbean. The Dutch collecter Van Lennep became aged, and he collected natural history in the first half of his life, art in the second half of his life, from where...

But the mentality changed fast: the curiosity cabinets from the royalty were turned into national Natural History museums in several places. Natural history became affordable for all as time went, and art became a thing for the better doing, the wealthy, and top art for what is called today "The very few".

Especially in the beginning of the 20th century, natural history museums were doing very good and many were the pride of their nations and governments. They were essential in the learning process of whole populations and behind the scenes learned people acquired a vast knowledge on the natural world - leading to more and more knowledge, up to the point where we stand now.

However, in the years after the second world war, many museums did not revive properly, and as the second half of the 20th century developed and economic crisis after crisis appeared, many natural history museums became victims of small budgets.

Science changed locality from many museums to universities - who in some cases took over the museums. And to the industry - the latter developed a practical "money creating" science in first instance.

At present the population is divided and popularity of Natural History museums depends much on the area where they are situated. Start up countries such as China and many southeast Asian countries see the importance of Natural History Museums. China develops breathtaking Natural history museums since a decade, and while we are writing these words, I know from good sources that more than 10 mega Natural History museums are building. In the United States some Natural History Museums as the one in the Smithsonian and in Houston are doing very well.

Museum collections

"Museum collections" are what makes a museum: they are the foundations of the establishments. The collections are often more than the objects displayed for the public: they are the subject of research and in natural history, they document life on earth.

Curators are essential in the museums: they acquire and work, often decades, to acquire the objects of their expertise and study them extensively. In fact: they are uppermost important for the collections - like the beating heart for a body.

Malacological collections

Natural history museums that harbor and curate properly malacological collections are not many on the planet. But the ones that are busy with this task obtained the collections either through buying them or through donations. Some countries, such as the USA facilitate donations through tax reduction systems. But in Europe for example, this is usually not the case. Important collections, which combine scientific and financial value, are seldom donated as the families building these often spend small fortunes in doing so. In this case, the museums will buy the collections, either with government funding, funding from own resources, or funding from donations. It was for example the case with the Dautzenberg collection in the KBIN, Brussels. But many other museums also contain "bought" malacological collections of importance.

Connecting with people

Malacology collections have many purposes. In first instance, they document the living animals on our planet. A type collection of mollusks, either containing holotypes or paratypes is the more important in this case. "Wet" collections of mollusks are important for molecular researches, which document for the moment more and more our knowledge on the relations between the different groups of mollusks. But part of the collections should also be displayed for the wide public.

Shells, well displayed, can be a great crowd pleaser for museums and attract many visitors. There are so many fascinating shells that a visitor could spend years listing and discovering them. Well thought exhibits can highlight and inform the visiting public with keen interest. They are also a source of financing for the museums.

Shells are the second biggest group in the animal kingdom, but this is often overlooked because museums tend to show "big animals" and "trendy" animals, such a dinosaurs in first instance.

Conchology, Inc. and Museum collections

Conchology, Inc. has a vast experience to build museum quality collections. Under the stewardship of Guido Poppe, malacology collections have found home in:

• Aesthetic collection in the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris.
• European collection in the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, Florida.
• Trochidae collection in the Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève, Geneva.
• General collection in the Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen, Brussels.
• Faunistical collection of Philippine shells in the Houston Museum of Natural Science, USA.
• Type collection of Philippine shells in the National Museum of Natural History of Manila, Philippines.

For interested museums that wish to improve their malacological collections:

• we offer help in building up vast malacological collections.
• important malacology collections are ready and available for acquiring.
• important malacology library is available for acquiring.
• advice and guidance in collection management.

Inquire by emailing [email protected] or [email protected] or call +63 917 327 62 83