RAMM cares for a wonderful and diverse collection consisting of over one million individual objects and specimens from all over the globe. The collections contain items of local, national and international importance, and many are of outstanding historical or cultural significance. The Museum itself is “an exquisite jewel box of a building … one of the most appealing treasures in Britain.” (Dan Cruickshank, architectural heritage consultant, writer and TV presenter).

The Museum won the 2012 Art Fund Prize for its stunning £24 million transformation. Praised by the judges for its ‘ambition and imagination’, the museum has dramatically reinterpreted its displays – from gemstones and taxidermy to mediaeval coins and modern art.

In the morning we will have presentations on the museum’s natural history collectors and collections together with the Society’s formal meetings. Speakers include:

• Peter Dance, talking about George Montagu
• Ron Cleevely on Devon Naturalists
• Anne Secord on Victorian seaweed collectors
• David Nichols on the Percy Sladen collections at RAMM.

In the afternoon there will be ‘behind the scenes’ collections tours with the curator Holly Morgenroth. The registration fee for the day is £25. For more information on the museum and its collections see www.rammuseum.org.uk.

Outline Programme April 2013

10.00 – 10.30 Registration and tea/coffee
10.30 – 12.00 Morning session: brief presentations on the natural history collectors and collections held in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.
12.00-12.30 SHNH Special General meeting and Annual General Meeting (details will be in SGM/AGM papers to be circulated nearer the date)
12.30 – 14.00 Lunch break*
14.00 – 15.00 “Behind the scenes” collection tours with Curator, Holly Morgenroth.
15.00 Delegates free to explore museum and/or Exeter