Our winter excursion this year was a visit to the Melbourne Museum. Fourteen members of the Friends met at the Museum, some travelling by train and others who were already in Melbourne went directly to the Museum.
The Museum is a very large place and with so many exhibitions and displays on show, we really didn’t have the time to spend too long in any one gallery.
We saw the Museum Discovery Centre, the Story of Melbourne, the Forest Gallery and Wild – Amazing Animals in a changing World.
The group was met by Museum Preparator, Dean Smith who kindly gave up his Saturday to take our group on a downstairs tour of the preparation rooms.
Dean’s job involves preparation of specimens using taxidermy methods, modelling, moulding & casting, and articulation of skeletal material for education and exhibition.
He showed us some of the many and varied techniques which are used to create realistic displays.
We were grateful to be able to see behind the scenes, it was very interesting and our thanks to Dean for allowing us this opportunity.
We left the department about 2.00 pm and following lunch, and a quick look through the Museum shop, it was time to make our way back in time to catch the 4.00 pm train home.
It was a very successful day, although time constraints meant that most people will probably return at some future date and explore in more detail what the Melbourne Museum has to offer.