Martin Wade, professional photographer and collector has claimed the Cabinet of Curiosity at Frome Museum throughout August.
His collection of animal and bird bones is not for the faint-hearted. They represent just a small part of a much larger collection of natural history objects kept by Martin, many of them included in his photographic compositions.
Simon Carpenter, volunteer curator at Frome Museum says, “Martin has put together a really fascinating collection of natural objects for the Cabinet of Curiosity. He seems to have the knack of finding the strangest and most interesting objects on his travels.
“Many are displayed just as they were found. My favourite is the pigeon, found by Martin in a chimney. Here, in dry conditions, its body had slowly mummified preserving an intact skeleton, skin with feather quills still attached.
“Bird skeletons are incredibly delicate structures and are rarely preserved naturally in this way. It provides a wonderful lesson on bird anatomy and structure. This is just one of Martin’s incredible oddities and curiosities – so don’t miss this one and others at Frome Museum during the month of August.”
Frome Museum is offering members of the public who collect natural sciences objects, including bones, fossils, minerals and archaeology the opportunity to display their treasures for one month in the museum.
The museum will provide an attractive and secure space and help with labels. If people are interested, they can leave their contact details at the museum in person or contact the museum by phone on 01373 454611.
Frome museum is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 2pm from mid-March to mid-November.
September will bring a new large exhibition which will be about the archaeological investigation of a cave in Stoke St Michael, named Browne’s Hole after the excavator from Frome who then donated his photographs and bone collection to the museum.
For more information call the museum on 01373 454611.
