The Art of Preservation
In the Forests Exhibit at the Cook Museum, visitors can see a bobcat, a turkey, a family of rabbits, and even a skunk! While these animals are no longer alive, through the art of taxidermy, visitors to the Museum are able to get an up-close look at these creatures of the forest.
Taxidermy is the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals for display or study. Taxidermists spend years as students in apprenticeships learning how to preserve animals and create lifelike displays.
The Cook Museum has collected taxidermy mammals, reptiles, and birds for the purpose of teaching about these animals and the biomes in which they live. Museums around the world have used taxidermy for centuries for this purpose.
So, the next time you visit a museum and see a taxidermy piece, look closely, and appreciate that in the wild, you would rarely have a chance to take your time and examine this animal up close.
See what amazing details about life you can learn through the art of taxidermy!
Part of the 2025 Vol. 4 Doodle Bug Activity Guide; Sponsored by
