Caring for specimens at the Museum

For the Fantastic Beasts™: The Wonder of Nature exhibition, the conservation team treated more than 100 specimens, including a Caspian tiger and a Chinese alligator. Each treatment was tailored to the specimen's specific needs.

Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgata)

The fur was carefully stroked with brushes and chemical sponges, which removed dust.

The next job was to replicate some missing whiskers.

The last step was to paint the whiskers so that they looked like the real thing.

Using a magnifying glass, it was easy to see the small holes where the original whiskers would have been.

Each new whisker was gently fixed into place using a special glue.

Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis)

The alligator was fixed to a wooden base.

A piece of internal supporting metal was showing from inside the tail. This was carefully removed with pliers.

The eyes and claws were dry cleaned with a chemical sponge and then wet cleaned with ethanol, which is a special type of alcohol.

Damaged areas of the eyes were repaired and strengthened using a conservation-grade resin, which was applied with paintbrushes and a syringe.

Missing claws were reconstructed using an epoxy filler then painted using acrylic paint.

Damage to the specimen's surface and tail was carefully fixed using layers of tinted Japanese tissue. Japanese tissue is used by conservators in many museums as it is very strong.