The Dead Zoo Dodo

cavedave

I was in the natural history museum a few days ago and realised the dodo skeleton was off limits for safety reasons. Did anyone else here get really obsessed with this Dodo when they were young?

Apparantly to get the floors with the Dodo on it made safe for the public would cost 15 million. These blocked off areas have 5000 other animals, moon rock and other cool stuff.

I still think the natural history museum is brilliant. I wrote a blogpost here about it and in particular the dodo here.

What do you think about the current situation with the Natural History Museum? Should the Dodo be moved downstairs to a public floor or should the money be found to open the closed balconies? How risky would moving the specimen be?

Anto The Dodo from the NHM now has a twitter account
"Natural History Museum, Dublin
I live out of sight in the Natural History Museum in Dublin. I want to meet my public"

steddyeddy

Excellent blog cavedave I had no idea the Dodo was such a huge interest for some people. Mine would be the snow leopard given its almost mythical status!

cavedave

The snow leopard has to be up there as one of the most fascinating animals.

I think the dodo is fairly popular alright.

Anyone have any other favorites in the Natural History Museum? The Irish elk, the polar bear with the bullet wound, the comparison of ape skeletons?

steddyeddy

cavedave wrote: »

The snow leopard has to be up there as one of the most fascinating animals.

I think the dodo is fairly popular alright.

Anyone have any other favorites in the Natural History Museum? The Irish elk, the polar bear with the bullet wound, the comparison of ape skeletons?

I love the ape skeletons man and the irish elk is always sure to impress! I think its an example of sexual selection adversely affecting chances of survival.

Birdnuts

cavedave wrote: »

The snow leopard has to be up there as one of the most fascinating animals.

I think the dodo is fairly popular alright.

Anyone have any other favorites in the Natural History Museum? The Irish elk, the polar bear with the bullet wound, the comparison of ape skeletons?

The Polar bear is some seize in that place - though I have heard they are shrinking in seize in the wild due to illegal trophy hunting and lack of food:(

Mickeroo

I've never been to the Natural History museum in Dublin unfortunateely, the day I wanted to go it was shut down completely

Galvasean

I visited it recently. Shame about the upper floors being closed. Apparently they don't have the funds to establish the legally required fire exits up there. Shame as you can see tantalizing glimpses from below...

PS: check out the three hedgehogs on the left hand side as you enter the upper floor. The taxidermist was goofing around and gave one an unnatural big smiley face. It's quite creepy.

cavedave

Galvasean

I visited it recently. Shame about the upper floors being closed. Apparently they don't have the funds to establish the legally required fire exits up there. Shame as you can see tantalizing glimpses from below...

They say it would cost about 15 million to reopen the upper galleries. Which seems pretty cheap to me considering the number of school trips and such that go through the museum.

PS: check out the three hedgehogs on the left hand side as you enter the upper floor. The taxidermist was goofing around and gave one an unnatural big smiley face. It's quite creepy.

There is some top notch scary taxidermy in the NHM.

I would still like to see the Dodo moved down to the public galleries. That would not be nearly as good as reopening the old galleries but it would be cheap to do.

emo72

15 million. Seems like crazy money. Its a Celtic tiger type quote. I think because its taxpayers money that they accept quotes like that. I was in the nhm recently and saw the higher levels. I don't know why it would take anything like that amount of money. There may be loads of contractors that would do that job for a lot cheaper now.

Baron de Robeck

I can't see how it could take that much money either.

I presume the rhino horn is securely stored after a spate of thefts of horn from museums allover Europe.

Clare Bear

Galvasean wrote: »

PS: check out the three hedgehogs on the left hand side as you enter the upper floor. The taxidermist was goofing around and gave one an unnatural big smiley face. It's quite creepy.

So many people miss this, it's hilarious!

Love the blog OP. Sad that it will cost that much to get them reopened, seems a crazy amount of money. Can't see it happening anytime soon

Went to the New York one this summer and planning to go to the London one early next year but I still love the Dublin one, just wish they had the funds to make it better.

cavedave

Exhibiting lost birds to preserve those in danger piece in the new scientist about why we need people to know about these ex-parrots

Galvasean

Clare Bear wrote: »

planning to go to the London one early next year

The London one is AWESOME. It's massive too. You'll need to spend the full day there in order to see everything.

cavedave

Does anyone have access to the London Times paywall?
This article about the NHM is behind the paywall and has some quotes I would like to get
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article6544211.ece

If you do have access and could post it below that would be brilliant!