Visiting a humble Museum of Natural History recalls the joys of collecting curios
During the Victorian period, taxidermy was a prized art—and a rare chance for museumgoers to see exotic animals up-close. First opened in 1896, the Natural History Museum in Rhode Island is almost like a museum of how museums used to look.
Notes and Addenda
- The book referenced is The Authentic Animal, by Dave Madden.
- Yes, taxidermy is weird and old-fashioned, and it’s now well established that many Victorians used these stuffed animals as an excuse to hunt wild game to exinction, satisfied that specimens would at least be preserved in neoclassical halls. It’s perfectly understandable why this strange craft fell out of favor.
- This Museum of Natural History is perhaps better known for its planetarium, which is both delightful and worth the additional $5 admission.
- Bach’s “Cello Suite №1” might be one of the most overused pieces of music in film history, an eye-rolling shorthand for class and distinction. But man, it’s just so good, isn’t it?
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