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The Natural History Museum at South Kensington
A History of the Museum 1753-1980

William T Stearn

This is a new printing of the classic, comprehensive history of the origins and growth of the Natural History Museum from the 1750s until 1980. It covers the early years of the development of the original natural history collection and its acquisition by the British Museum, through the establishment of a separate museum at South Kensington, to the maturing of that site. This is a fascinating record of the story of one of Britain's best loved museums and one of the world's finest scientific institutions.

Key features

  • Authoritative classic text
  • Black and white plates from the Museum's archives
  • Covers all key personalities and events
  • Fascinating view of the Victorian scientific community

Contents
List of plates; Preface; Foreword; Part I The Bloomsbury Years 1753-1880; Part II The Museum at South Kensington; Part III The Natural History Museum 1883-1949; Parts IV The Museum Departments; Part V An Era of Change and Independence 1950-1980; Appendices; Index.

About the author
William Stearn CBE was on the staff of the Botany Department of the NHM from 1952 to 1976. He has written many books and articles and in 1980 was appointed a Commander of the Royal Order of the Northern Star for his services to science and scholarship.

Reviews
"...the story of the Museum through the lives and the personalities who created it...we have in this admirable book not only natural history but a fascinating collection of specimen scientists to study as well." Eastern Daily Press

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NHM at South Ken cover

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Specifications

ISBN: 0 565 09030 5
Price: £30.00
Format: Paperback
Size: 234 x 156 mm
Extent: 440 pp, 88 black and white illustrations
Published: 1981, Reprint July 1998, Reprint 2001
Subject classification: History; history of science