Curious Travellers is a collaboration between the University of Wales Trinity St David, the University of Glasgow and the Natural History Museum, London, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. It studies the world of C18th travel and natural history through the works of Flintshire naturalist Thomas Pennant (1726–1798), whose multi-volume British Zoology, and Tours of Wales and Scotland helped shape public understanding of the habitats, cultures and histories of the British Isles. We are currently preparing digital editions of the Welsh and Scottish Tours and examining the valuable Pennant collections held at NHM. On Friday 7th November we are holding a day conference in the Natural History Museum exploring the connections between Pennant’s writings, the art-works he commissioned, his vast correspondence network and his specimen collections. We would like this to be a springboard for future cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional collaborations, so please join us for an invigorating day of presentations and discussions!

• Short papers from the Curious Travellers research team and NHM curators, pairing specimens and archive material with
research stories drawing on Pennant’s correspondence, travel writing and commissioned art-works.
• A session exploring intersections between natural science, cultural history and the digital humanities.
• A chance to see specimens from the Pennant Collection with items from Library and Archives, to talk to the
team, and to see panels and creative work from the recent Curious Minds exhibition held in Selborne.
• A Future Directions panel exploring strategies for research development.
• Free lunch and a drinks reception (5.30pm-6.30pm).

Places are limited so please book by 30 October: a.elias@cymru.ac.uk (01970 636543)

Event webpage:

Curious Collections: Day Conference at the Natural History Museum