Our Natural Science Volunteer project is well underway now. Laura, Lukas and Sarah have been hard at work down at the Museum Collections Centre and, after a few technical difficulties, are beginning to work their way through the mammal specimens held on open shelves.

So what exactly are they doing? Well the process is fairly straightforward, at least it is until an unknown object appears! The team are working their way along the shelves looking at each object in turn. Firstly they check to see if it has an acquisition number. If it does the record is found, both in the hand written documents and computer records, and updated with an accurate condition report. The object is also photographed and measured, really important for the future when exhibitions will be planned using this information.

If there is no number or computer record, a new one must be created and then all possible information is recorded about the object. Already there have been several objects that have apparently not officially existed until now! Take a look at the selection of images below showing their work.

There are a number of opportunities for you to talk to our Natural Science Volunteers coming up soon! Firstly at Thinktank at a Meet the Volunteer Event on the 15th of August. Then at the Museum Collections Center Open Day on the 19th of August and finally they will be taking over the @BM_AG Twitter feed on the 30th of August. Get involved!