What's On at UCL Museums & Collections

The Micrarium is a place for tiny things - somewhere to come and explore the microscopic specimens at the Grant Museum.

It’s often said that 95% of known animal species are smaller than your thumb, but have you noticed how most museums fill their displays with big animals? We intend to right this wrong, and in January 2013 we’ll be building a Micrarium.

We have converted an old office/storeroom into a beautiful back-lit cave displaying some of the tiniest specimens in the collection, on wall-to-wall microscope slides. Museums very rarely display objects like this, and we are experimenting with an aesthetic way of doing so.

020 3108 2052 | zoology.museum@ucl.ac.uk

The thriller that began five million years ago in another world has come to the Grant Museum of Zoology. Deep beneath the streets of London a construction team make a chilling discovery, ancient human remains alongside a missile of unknown origin. Digging back into the past will reveal more horror than the human mind can bear and address the question of how we came to be on this planet. Meanwhile the missile begins to unleash primeval instincts buried deep within the human psyche.

Historian of Biology and film-buff Professor Joe Cain (UCL Science and Technology Studies) will introduce this surprisingly scary film. The film is followed by a free drinks reception in a private view of the Museum. This event is free and there is no need to book.

020 3108 2052 | d.veall@ucl.ac.uk

Hunt up a storm of objects related to the four elements in UCL Museums. Solve the clues to discover the rocks formed in the fires of the planet, the animals that glide through the air, the treasures dug from the earth and the water(colours) of art. There are prizes to be won by the team who solves and collects all the elements and locates every artifact required from art, geology, Egyptian archaeology and zoology. The event is followed by a free drinks reception and a private view of the Grant Museum of Zoology. This event is part of Museums at Night and is free, there is no need to book.

020 3108 2052 (Grant Museum) and 0207 679 4138 (Petrie Museum) | d.veall@ucl.ac.uk

Creepy crawlies, bugs, pests, call them what you like but this half-term we will be celebrating the wonderful world of invertebrates. Come face to face with some of our deadly scorpions, our beautiful octopi and our incredible sea mice. Join us to take part in fun hands-on specimen based activities and get inventive with designing your own insect. This event is free and there is no need to book. Drop in between 1pm and 5pm.

020 3108 2052 | d.veall@ucl.ac.uk

Sculpture students from the Slade School of Fine Art at UCL have been invited to create works in response to the Museum’s collections. The brief is wide – they may place sculptures among the Museum’s own specimens, take over entire cabinets, or make other spatial interventions such as walks, tours, recordings or texts for visitors to experience. These events will free. Visit the Museum website near the time for final details of the season

020 3108 2052 | d.veall@ucl.ac.uk

Fleas pulling chariots, riding tricycles and even fighting duels with perfectly crafted miniature swords. Don’t believe it? Well, roll-up roll-up and let Tim Cockerill, zoologist/sideshow performer persuade you that until recently the flea circus was a genuine spectacle that amazed audiences. From first hand accounts from the last ‘Flea Circus Professors’ to previously unseen footage and photos of fleas in action you will be astounded at the once secret techniques used to train these tiny insects. The event is followed by a free drinks reception in a private view of the museum and a chance to see Tim’s flea circus collection. This event is free and there is no need to book.

020 3108 2052 | d.veall@ucl.ac.uk

Cast away memories of the Bingo Hall of yesteryear, eyes down and have your dabbers at the ready as we bring you a special night of insect related revelry in our very first bingo night. Gone are the numbers instead we are adding our own Grant Museum twist on the classic game with some beautiful, gruesome and incredible insects from our collection as well as using appropriate entomological puns. Join us as we take an alternative look at the world of insects. This event is free but booking is essential www.beetlebingo.eventbrite.co.uk. Booking opens Monday 6 May.

020 3108 2052 | d.veall@ucl.ac.uk

Working on a remote island in a secret scientific facility Dr. Radford Baines is attempting to solve world hunger, his solution, to shrink people to half the size. His work has unintended consequences as a group of visitors to the island discover, giant shrews with a taste for human flesh! Will this intrepid group of explorers escape the island with their lives?
Historian of Biology and film-buff Professor Joe Cain (UCL Science and Technology Studies) will introduce what promises to a classic film night film. The film is followed by a free drinks reception in a private view of the Museum. This event is free and there is no need to book.

020 3108 2052 | d.veall@ucl.ac.uk

Show’N’Tell, that great American tradition, is coming to the Grant Museum of Zoology. We have invited the people who work and research here at UCL to showcase an object from the Museum’s collection and tell you what they know about it. For our very first Show’N’Tell Dr. Brendan Clarke from the Department of Science and Technology Studies will be presenting our fascinating wax model collection. So join us for a lunchtime and discover the stories hidden away in our collection. This event is free and there is no need to book.

020 3108 2052 | d.veall@ucl.ac.uk

The tropical rainforests of the world are full of beautiful and bizarre animals. We are starting the summer holidays with a trip into the jungle to uncover the animals that make the jungle their home. Bring along your brave explorer and discover exactly who is swinging in the trees, rustling in the undergrowth and soaring on the breeze. Join us to take part in fun hands-on specimen based activities. This event is free and there is no need to book. Drop in between 1pm and 5pm.

020 3108 2052 | d.veall@ucl.ac.uk