D'Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum facts for kids
| Established | 1880s |
|---|---|
| Location | University of Dundee, Carnelley Building, Park Place, Dundee DD1 4HN, Scotland |
| Type | University museum, zoology collection |
The D'Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum is a cool museum at the University of Dundee in Scotland. It's filled with amazing animal specimens and models. This museum is a great place to learn about different creatures from all over the world!
Contents
Who Was D'Arcy Thompson?
The Museum's Founder
The museum is named after a brilliant Scottish scientist, D'Arcy Thompson (1860–1948). He was a biologist and a mathematician. Thompson started collecting specimens for this museum in the 1880s. He began right after he became a Professor of Biology at University College, Dundee, in 1885.
Building a Collection
In 1893, his department got bigger. This allowed a special building to be made just for the museum. It grew into one of the largest museums of its kind in Britain back then. Thompson was very interested in how math connects to biology. This led him to write a famous book called On Growth and Form. Many items in the museum relate to his ideas.
What Can You See at the Museum?
Amazing Animal Specimens
The museum has a huge collection of animals. You can see birds, fish, insects, mammals, and reptiles. These specimens come from all over the world! It's like a global animal adventure in one place.
Unique Models and Tools
You'll also find many of D'Arcy Thompson's original models and teaching tools. These include beautiful Glass Sea Creatures. These were made by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka. There are also models and fluid preparations by Vaclav Fric. These special items helped Thompson teach about biology.
Items from Famous Expeditions
The museum holds items from several important scientific journeys.
- It has 27 specimens from the HMS Challenger voyage (1872–1876). This was a huge trip around the world to study the oceans.
- You can also see material from the Dundee Whaling Expedition (1892–3).
- Other expeditions include the Ingolf Expedition (1895–6), the Nimrod Expedition (1907-9), and the Discovery Investigations (1930s).
- The museum even has specimens of animals that are now extinct. These include the Huia bird and the Thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger.
Art Inspired by Science
Connecting Art and Biology
The museum also has a special art collection. These artworks are inspired by D'Arcy Thompson's ideas. Many are based on his book On Growth and Form. This part of the collection was partly funded by the UK Art Fund.
Famous Artists' Works
The art collection includes pieces by famous artists. You can see works by Henry Moore, Victor Pasmore, and Salvador Dalí. There's also an original catalog from Richard Hamilton’s "Growth and Form" exhibition (1951). Plus, you can find digital art of cell shapes by Andy Lomas. It shows how science can inspire amazing art!
External links
- Museum website
