The Grant Museum was established in 1828 as a teaching collection for comparative anatomy. Now, around 40,000 visitors annually come to view around 100,000 zoological specimens including extinct animals such as the quagga and thylacine, and preserved specimens of living species such as the famous ‘Jar of Moles’.
Having closed its doors in March 2023, the redeveloped Museum tells a story of the human impact on the diversity of life on Earth and showcases how UCL research is responding to the planetary crisis. The refurbishment involved six new showcases, 7,000 specimen moves, 200 conservation treatments and 350 new labels.
Updates to the museum include new displays connecting the Museum’s collections to biodiversity and conservation research, exploring the impact of human activity on biodiversity and highlighting the role of the collections in cutting-edge research – such as DNA taken from sawfish specimens that helped to determine the genetic health of living sawfish species.
External funding for the improvement work was awarded jointly by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and the Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Foundation through the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund.
