Dear Digital Digest-digesters, it has been an extremely busy month but there are just enough hours in the month to put out the April edition. Continue reading for a round up of all the things you need to know…

What Should I Read?

After much to-ing and fro-ing and panicking from various factions, it has been announced that “accredited museums and galleries will be granted an exemption in legislation… that bans the trade of elephant ivory in almost all circumstances”. This is great news for museums. Read the full story on the Museums Association website here.

There has been a lot of coverage of the dinosaur tracks found in Scotland, but if you missed it all, here’s what the BBC had to report. Both sauropod and theropod tracks are present and they’ve gotten everyone all excited.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is in the news for another year as another photographer falls foul of either not reading, or else ignoring, the rules. The anteater in one of the winning images has been investigated and concluded to be a taxidermy specimen. The image was therefore disqualified and the photographer told to er… get stuffed.

What Should I Do?

NatSCA is running a day long Skeletal Preparation Workshop in July, in which you will “Learn how to skin, separate the limbs from the body and head, deflesh and prepare small mammal and bird carcasses”. Booking is now open and will be first come first served until the 11th June, at which time booking closes so final numbers can be counted.

The Call for Papers opens tomorrow for our October event Caring for Natural Science Collections: A one day event exploring advances in conservation. Held at the gorgeous Oxford University Museum of Natural History, the aim of the day is “museum conservation and its role in advancing the care of the wealth of specimens, objects and archives that form our natural science collections”.

The exhibition Fashioned from Nature at the V&A Museum is now open. Even if you’re not into fashion, this exhibition has dresses decorated with beetle wings, waistcoats with natural history artwork, and feathers galore.

If crossovers between Natural History and Archaeology is more your thing, Nature through Roman Eyes is now on at Manchester Museum too.

What Can  I Apply For?

The call for applications for Curator of Insects at the Natural History Museum in London is still open, though only until Wednesday. We all know submitting on the last day is a no-no so don’t dally.

You only have a little longer for Interpretation Developer at the Tring Museum branch of the NHM which closes on 9th May…

… and two days after that for Senior Curator in Charge, General Herbarium I & II and European Herbarium; the closing date for this one is 11th May.

Is Astronomy Presenter a stretch for Natural Sciences?? It sounds like an amazing job so- just in case… apply by 14th May.

Announcements

This is a new category created especially for our Journal Editor Rachel Jennings who today starts work in her new role as Project Curator of Natural History at the very lucky Powell-Cotton Museum in Kent. Congratulations on the amazing job Rachel!

Before You Go…

If you have seen an exhibition, visited a museum, or want to tell us about your work, do get in touch as we are always looking for material from other authors. Email us with your ideas at blog@natsca.org.

Written by Dr Emma-Louise Nicholls, Deputy Keeper of Natural History at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, and NatSCA Blog Manager