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Ghosts of the Museum

An Elementary Class on Fossils and how to Draw them

Thursday 6 November 2014

Ghosts of Museum PosterOn Thursday 6 November 2014 the Upper Library played host to ‘Ghosts of the Museum: An Elementary Class on Fossils and How to Draw Them'.

24 lucky ‘pupils’ were treated to a class on how to draw fossils correctly in a scientific manner by the curator for the evening Edward Charlesworth, aka Dr Ted Nield, author and editor of Geoscientist. Resplendent for the occasion in his academic robes, and using specimens on loan from the Natural History Museum, the curator demonstrated the principles of drawing trilobites, brachiopods, gastropods and echinoderms (the latter through the novel idea of using a football lunch bag).

History of the Museum

Find out about the History of the Geological Society's Museum and the colourful life of Edward Charlesworth

Image Gallery

View a selection of images from the evening

Ted Nield demonstrates the structure of a trilobite Edward Charlesworth, aka Dr Ted Nield, at the blackboard The layout of the room echoed the original museum, complete with fossil elk above the blackboard Labels indicated where the Society's original specimens were arranged around the museum. The Gallery 'housed' the foreign specimens. Books and drawing tools (including a football lunch bag for drawing echinoderms!) The registration desk with pupil badges and handouts about Edward Charlesworth The finished drawings included trilobites, gastropods, brachiopods and 'fossil football' View from the gallery The fossil rhinoceros, one of the GSL's original specimens, was displayed Fossils on loan from the Natural History Museum, including some of the GSL's original specimens, donated to the NHM in 1911 One pupil draws a gastropod Custom lamps added to the atmosphere of a Victorian museum A trilobite at the end of a busy table Ted gives some advice Demonstrating the structure of ammonites