Historic Wet Collection at the Museum of Natural History

Funded through the KUR – Programme for the Conservation of Moveable Cultural Assets

The Museum of Natural History in Berlin owns a collection of approximately 260,000 animal specimens preserved in alcohol. Not only is it an important source of scientific documentation, but also a valuable cultural asset, gathered over several centuries by famous natural researchers and collectors on many daring expeditions.
These “wet collections” are in grave danger of being lost as many of the jar seals are broken and highly fluctuating temperatures have caused the alcohol to evaporate. Many of the original labels are also beginning to disintegrate or will soon be no longer legible. 
This KUR project plans to immediately begin preserving this collection, the specimen jars and their primary documentation (labels and scientific papers). The project will develop and apply new methods for optimally storing collections of this kind, as museums around the world currently face similar problems.
The entire wet collection will be stored in the museum’s newly rebuilt east wing which was destroyed during the war. Arranged by type in an air-conditioned exhibition hall, the collection will be made accessible for public viewing. An information terminal in the exhibition area will provide visitors with details about the project and the results of the conservation measures.

Project administrator:
Museum of Natural History, Berlin

Cooperative partners:
Berlin Medical Historical Museum, Berlin Charité
Working group at the Synthesys Network Activity C Collections Standards
Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, Munich
Senckenberg Natural History Society, Frankfurt am Main