UBC Undergraduate Research

Chronicling UBC's "Library of Life" : the Cowan Tetrapod Collection Duhatschek, Paula

Abstract

The Cowan Tetrapod Collection was first established in the early 1940s as UBC’s “Zoology Museum,” under the supervision of UBC’s Department of Zoology1. Over the course of the latter half of the 20th century, the Cowan Tetrapod Collection grew in size and scope, was housed in three separate locations, and has undergone significant technological renovations. Today, it exists as a part of the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, and is used for research, education, and outreach programs related to biodiversity research2. This paper seeks to chronicle the history of the Cowan Tetrapod Collection, and situate it within the history of natural history museums in Western society. It will argue that the history of the Cowan Vertebrate Collection demonstrates how the 20th century’s divide between “naturalists” and “experimentalists” in biology led to a decrease in the popularity of natural history museums. During periods of the discipline’s “unpopularity,” the continued functioning of the Cowan Tetrapod Collection was owed to the intense dedication of its curatorial staff, as well as numerous volunteers and student contributors.

Item Citations and Data

Rights

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada