Description of a Biological Object as a Museum Item

E.A. Chusova, T.N. Kazantseva
The Timiryazev State Museum of Biology,Moscow
Phone: (095) 252-55-42; (095) 255-06-33

The elaboration of a qualitative-new data bank for all fund collections of the museum made us return to a close examinations of a set of data on every subject, in other words, take a fresh look at the description standards as applied to new technologies. Additional information founded in the museological literature revealed that similar standards were developed and are under development in sufficient detail for the museums of humanitarian type (art, literary, historical), as to the research collections, especially on keeping in the museums placed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture and other cultural departments, a number of problems still remains to be solved. There are some reasons for it. On the one hand, when working in such museums specialists-biologists have a certain attitude towards collection of materials, a different one, than if they would work in a research institute. On the other hand, the material kept on deposit at the biological museum is so heterogeneous - from paleontological specimens to physiological preparations - that in practice the exhibitor almost always deals with subjects unknown to him. So, the requirements imposed on the information contained in every subject description of the Biological museum data bank have their own specific nature. The fact that for natural history subjects in modern practice there are scientific classifications, taxonomy et cet. does not solve the problem of the natural object description as the museum subject. The scientific description of the museum subject includes such common research parameters, as systematic, biotope characteristic, area et cet. At the same time it includes the particular characteristics of the subject: measurements, sexing, colour, collection time and locality and so on. To compile the description it is necessary to remember that the concrete museum subject covered by these characteristics is a natural object having at the same time certain features in common with the whole taxen, and they also should be reflected in the description. One more factor is as follows: isolated from the environment the biological object, before getting the museum subject status, is certainly put through a special treatment with the resulting formation of a stuffed animal, a carcass, a skin, a moist preparation, a herbarium unit and so on. This treatment can be done by a specialist with the use of special procedures. The information about it makes an integral part of the subject description, and standards of this type also become a necessity.

Thus, on the one hand, it is essential to have the research description standards, that is a maximum of vigorous information about the object isolated from the environment. On the other hand, consideration must be given to demands and inquiries of exhibitors responsible for displays, exhibitions, museum booklets et cet. And of museum teachers working with a wide audience, often untrained, and to select the description standards providing data of this kind. Here are the central problems in the elaboration of a standard set for the biological museum subject description.

Chusova Elena Alexandrovna, the Director of The Timiryazev State Museum of Biology. Graduated from Moscow University, Biological and Soil Faculty, the field of specialisation “Zoology and Comparative Anatomy of Invertebrates”. E.A. Chusova has the second high education: the field of specialisation - “Museology and Old Relics and Monuments Protection”. She was given a qualification of museologist. The theme of her diploma paper “Computerising of fund work in the Timiryazev State Museum of Biology (TSMB)”. E.A. Chusova has been working in TSMB since 1983. From 1993 to 1999 - as Deputy Director, since January 1999 up to now - as Director. She is an individual member of ICOM of Russia. Under the direction and with her active assistance the fund work computer program has been developed and is being carried out.

Kazantseva Tatiana Nikolaevna, the Chief Curator of The Timiryazev State Museum of Biology. Graduated from Moscow University, Biological and Soil Faculty, the field of specialisation “Geobotany”. T.N. Kazantseva has been working in the Timiryazev State Museum of Biology, at the Fund Department, since 1980, from 1991 up to now - as Chief Curator. In collaboration with E.A. Chusova she is concerned with the fund work computer program. T.N. Kazantseva works on data base, preparing information about rare book fund, art material and botanical collections.

The Timiryazev State Museum of Biology is a diversified museum of natural history representing the most important branches of biology and ecology. It was established in 1922 on academician B.M. Zavadovsky’s (Academy of Agricultural Sciences) initiative on the base of education collection of the Shanyavsky People’s University. The distinctive property of the museum is a wide scope of biological themes. The unique collection of the museum funds numbers more than 60 thousand objects, among which are diverse natural history collections, rare books on the natural sciences, material on history of science, works of art devoted to the world of nature.

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