In this new exhibition visitors can discover a world of lost and forgotten language, reconnecting with nature through words, stories, and the Museums historic taxidermy bird collection.
A new fascinating exhibition “The Lost Language of Nature: The Stories Science Doesn’t Tell” opens on Saturday 16 July at Saffron Walden Museum. This exhibition will take visitors on a journey to discover some of the Lost Language of Nature through the Museum’s historic taxidermy bird collection.
The show features over 25 newly conserved taxidermy specimens, some of which have not been out of storage for over 20 years. Visitors can see the diverse habitats in which these birds live across the world and discover some of the language and folklore which they have inspired, which historically has not featured in Museum records and displays.
The exhibition is part of the wider “Lost Language of Nature Project” which aims to re-engage the public with the lost words and stories of wildlife through research, storytelling, and the physical conservation work. Ongoing outreach work aims to correct the lack of input and knowledge from cultures that represent the source communities of items collected outside the UK, as well as find some of the lost language of specimens from the UK, such as folk names for common birds.
‘I hope visitors will enjoy reconnecting with or being introduced to these bird species and their cultural stories during this exhibition. So much of what Museums have recorded and deemed important in the past was about “scientific data” we forget how culturally significant animals were in the past, and still are to some communities. It’s been a real privilege to have the opportunity to conserve these specimens as part of the wider project and I really hope people will enjoy seeing them’ says Charlotte Pratt, Learning and Outreach Officer at Saffron Walden Museum who co-curated this exhibition.
James Lumbard, Natural Sciences Officer at Saffron Walden Museum and co-curator of the exhibition adds: ‘The Lost Language of Nature exhibition is marking the halfway point of the wider Lost Language of Nature project. We really hope the exhibition and the stories we have uncovered so far will inspire the public to take part in the wider project and help us to continue to rebalance the information we hold on these specimens.’
The exhibition showcases birds from around the world, split into four habitat categories, grassland, woodland, wetland and the sea & seashore. Museum-goers will also be able to catch glimpses of some of the physical conservation work in action as the exhibition will feature a mini conservation studio.
‘We’re excited to showcase these amazing birds and their cultural stories and to welcome all members of the public to share their stories about these creatures with us, that’s what this exhibition is all about’, says Charlotte Pratt. The public will be invited to share their own stories through the course of the exhibition through interactives, surveys, and a community art project.
James Lumbard concludes ‘In the past, a close connection with the natural world meant that animals played an important part in many cultures. From this, a rich body of stories, myths, legends, and language was born. Unfortunately, this information often isn’t recorded alongside scientific information in natural science collections, we really hope this exhibition and the wider project will help us change that at Saffron Walden Museum.’
“The Lost Language of Nature: The Stories Science Doesn’t Tell” opens at Saffron Walden Museum on 16 July and runs until 30 October 2022.
