Assessing taxidermy on display: contexts, tools and challenges for natural sciences conservation

Wild: Amazing Animals in a Changing World, a long-term exhibit at Melbourne Museum, showcases biodiversity and environmental change through the display of more than 700 taxidermied animals from Museum Victoria's natural sciences collection. Installed in 2009, the award winning gallery presents numerous preservation challenges due to the large number of specimens on open display and the tiered design, which limits access for regular cleaning and assessment. In recent years increased incidents of physical and pest related damage necessitated a comprehensive in-situ condition survey to obtain current and accurate data. This paper addresses the preservation issues and complications of accessing and assessing taxidermy mounts on open display and investigates the use of GoPro HD Hero® 4 action cameras as a condition reporting tool. The context of the Wild exhibition as part of an increased trend for displaying taxidermy will be discussed and future directions for research in the conservation field to assist in the preservation and display of taxidermy are highlighted.