Carl Akeley

Taxidermy is often misunderstood, yet, it has long been the principle storyteller of our natural history. In Zoological and Natural History museums throughout the world from Copenhagen and London to the Smithsonian National Museum  in Washington, DC, taxidermists are among the most valued and respected of tradesmen in the curators staff.  Over the course of the last few centuries, taxidermy has evolved considerably from its crude beginnings where preserved skins were literally “stuffed” with cotton, straw or sawdust to achieve nothing more than a vague resemblance to their original form. Pioneers in the early 20th century such as Carl Akeley and Leon Pray established new standards in Taxidermy effectively merging art and science. The commercial industry however, though increasingly present throughout this period, did not experience such an evolution until the 60’s and 70’s and did not truly begin to see notable improvements in process until the early…