Current exhibition
‘Still Life: 100 Years of the Bell Pettigrew Museum of Natural History’
17 March-19 May 2012 @ the Gateway Galleries
Whilst St Andrews commemorates 600 years as a seat of learning, the University’s Bell Pettigrew Museum is celebrating its centenary year. To mark this event, the Gateway Galleries are hosting an exhibition that tells the story of the Museum and the vision of the people associated with it.
The collection of the Bell Pettigrew Museum has its roots in the foundation of the Literary and Philosophical Society of St Andrews in 1838. The displays were transferred to a purpose-built wing of the Bute Medical School as part of the University’s 500th anniversary celebrations at the start of the 20th century, where they remain to this day. The Bell Pettigrew now opens its doors to students, researchers, schoolchildren, artists and casual visitors throughout the year.
‘Still Life: 100 Years of the Bell Pettigrew Museum of Natural History’ showcases a choice selection of zoological specimens, historic documents, photography and artwork connected with the Museum. It provides a window into the history of science and the history of collecting in St Andrews. At the same time it highlights the various ways in which the Bell Pettigrew has changed over the years from a motley collection of curiosities to a zoological museum illustrating evolutionary divisions within the animal kingdom. ‘Still Life’ is a must-visit for anyone interested in science, St Andrews, and Scotland.
For more information go to http://www-ah.st-andrews.ac.uk/events/StillLife/.
