Compiled by Jennifer Gallichan, NatSCA Blog Editor.
It has come to the end of another year and we have had some fantastic contributions to the blog. I would like to take this opportunity in the last blog of 2025, to celebrate the ten most read articles of those published this year. As a whole, they represent the huge amount of work that is going on across the sector, from collection decants, to specimen conservation, getting the collections out there, and researching the incredible histories they contain. What a busy bunch of folk we are!
I want to express a huge thankyou to all contributors. The blog truly would not work without you and it is entirely thanks to all your hard work that it is the success it is. With this in mind…the 2026 calendar is now open for submissions, so please do drop me a line if you would like to submit an article. Myself and our thousands of readers would love to hear from you.
The top ten blogs in descending order are:
10: Packing the Blaschka Glass Models | NatSCA
Written by Julian Carter, Principal Conservator Natural Sciences, Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, Cardiff.
Blaschka Models. Image credit: courtesy of the National Museum of Ireland: Natural History.
I know my colleague Julian will be dead chuffed to know this article made the top 10. A great blog detailing some of the history and conservation work on the Blaschka Glass models.
9: Birds of Bolton Museum | NatSCA
Written by Lauren Field, Curator of Natural History, Bolton Museum.
Eric Gorton with his illustrations. © Bolton Museum
An interesting blog about an exhibition celebrating the incredible variety of bird life in Bolton and beyond, inspired by the donation of a large collection of sketchbooks by Bolton-born artist and naturalist Eric Gorton.
8: Crispy, Brown and Far Too Delicate – Are Herbarium Specimens Just Too Difficult to Use? | NatSCA
Written by Clare Brown, Leeds Museums and Galleries.
©National Museums Liverpool
In answer to the eternal question, how can we use and display herbarium sheets well? An inspiring blog compiling some of the great ways people in the sector have been making use of these collections.
7: 5 Top Tips on How to Decant your Museum | NatSCA
By Eimear Ashe, Collections Moves Project Manager, National Museum of Ireland.
The Keeper and some of the capital project team
One of two contributions from the Dublin team that made the top ten. A fantastic list of things to do…and things to avoid when decanting a collection. Well done team, keep up the good work!
6: How to Get a Job Working with Museum Collections | NatSCA
Written by Sarah Burhouse, Caitlin Jamison, Bethany Palumbo & Vicky Ward. Compiled by Jennifer Gallichan, Vertebrate Curator, Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales.
A blog to attempt to answer one of the most regularly asked questions…how do I get a job in the natural history sector? Drawing on the experience of four incredible people working in the sector, who share their experiences and give some top tips.
5: It’s Getting Better | NatSCA
Written by Dr Amy Geraghty, Assistant Keeper/Curator of aquatic zoology collections with responsibility for fluid collection management.
A great article showcasing the huge amount of work that has gone into rehousing the fluid collections in Dublin into new storage. What a great project!
4: A Refresher Course on Fluid Specimen Conservation at the Natural History Museum of Denmark | NatSCA
Written by Anastasia van Gaver (Conservator) & Bethany Palumbo (Head of Conservation) Natural History Museum Denmark).
Workshop participants and Julian Carter
Sticking with fluid collections, and another shout out to Julian Carter, the team in Denmark give a run-down of a recent fluid specimen conservation course.
Written by Jazmine Miles Long, Taxidermist.
Jazmine happy experimenting with leather conservation methods at West Dean College 2024
Over the years, you have all consistently loved a blog by Jazmine and this year is no exception. In this instalment, we read about how she has been using bark to tan skins.
2: Moving a ‘Monster’ – the Ups and Downs of Exhibiting a Japanese Spider Crab | NatSCA
Written by Hannah Clarke – Assistant Curator (Collections Access), University of Aberdeen.
In our profession we are regularly asked to move and work with objects in all manner of shapes and sizes and it can be a challenge. In this blog, Hannah takes us through the literal ups and downs of moving a very large crab!
1: A Stable Future – Research into the Stability of Materials used in Taxidermy Manufacture. | NatSCA
Written by Jazmine Miles Long – Taxidermist & Bethany Palumbo – Head of Conservation, Natural History Museum Denmark.
Cheetah in progress at The Booth Museum of Natural History using a polyurethane foam form – Jazmine Miles Long
And in the top spot, what I can only describe as an interesting and slightly terrifying blog about the stability of materials used in modern taxidermy. I am hoping that our new tiger in Cardiff stands the test of time…eek.
Congratulations to everyone who made the list, and looking forward to some fantastic new stories in 2026.
NatSCA 