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- Chronicling UBC's "Library of Life" : the Cowan Tetrapod...
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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 Metadata
Title |
Chronicling UBC's "Library of Life" : the Cowan Tetrapod Collection
|
Creator | |
Date Issued |
2014
|
Description |
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.
|
Genre | |
Type | |
Language |
eng
|
Series | |
Date Available |
2014-06-09
|
Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
|
Rights |
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada
|
DOI |
10.14288/1.0103572
|
URI | |
Affiliation | |
Campus | |
Peer Review Status |
Unreviewed
|
Scholarly Level |
Undergraduate
|
Rights URI | |
Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
|
Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada