Naturamas Collections
Naturama's collections contain the Funen natural heritage. The oldest specimens in the collections date back to 1806.
Collections
The collections contain between 30,000 and 40,000 objects in the areas of mineralogy, paleontology, entomology, ornithology and zoology, including skeletons, skins, stuffed animals and birds, eggs, shells, insects, spirits, fossil objects and frozen material.
Naturama's collection is not only a documentation of life's development and diversity, but also a narrative about Funen's natural history and development.
Naturama's many unique objects provide an understanding of nature, and form the basis for current and future generations to be able to relate qualitatively and critically to common scientific issues in society.
Naturama's collections are subject to the Museums Act and supplement the collections of the other state and state-recognized natural history museums.
The bird collection
The bird collection contains more than 3,000 stuffed birds, including a representative collection of northern European birds. The bird collection dates back to 1855, and contains several unique specimens (several specimens constitute the only preserved Danish finds). The collection of bird eggs contains approx. 1,200 objects divided into 30 species. The bird collection also contains bird skulls, bird skeletons, flies, feathers, etc.
The mammal collection
The collection of terrestrial mammals contains most of Northern Europe's mammals (corresponding to the Danish natural heritage). The mammal collection contains several unique preparations. In addition, the collection contains furs, skulls, skeletons, teeth, antlers, etc. The collection of land mammals contains specimens dating back to 1806.
The collection of marine mammals contains a number of skeletons of whales stranded on the Danish coasts (primarily Funen coasts): saithe, minke whale, sperm whale, humpback whale, white-nosed whale and porpoise. In addition, the collection contains sperm whales, jaws from blue whales, vertebrae from fin whales, dolphin skulls, etc. The collection of marine mammals contains specimens dating back to 1930.
The collection of reptiles and amphibians
The collection of reptiles and amphibians contains approx. 150 objects and preparations (including models) dating back to 1933.
The fish collection
Naturama's fish collection is probably the largest collection of stuffed Danish fish. The fish collection contains approx. 300 stuffed Danish fish, including several very rare finds. The collection dates back to 1918.
The insect collection
Naturama's insect collection contains 10,000 - 15,000 insects, including i.a. Funen Diocesan Museum's collection from 1885-1937. The collection contains beetles, butterflies, bees, thrushes, wasps, ticks, lantern-bearers, wooden bucks, ant-lions, spiders, dragonflies, etc. The collection covers Denmark. The collection's oldest specimens date back to 1837.
The snail collection
Naturama houses a collection of more than 2,100 snails dating back to 1853.
Quaternary zoological collection
Naturama's Quaternary zoological collection contains a number of earth-found (from Funen and surrounding islands) skulls, bones, teeth and antlers of prehistoric animals, including mammoths, giant deer, aurochs, wild horses, wild boars, etc.
The collection covers the time after the last glacial maximum, i.e. the last 20,000 years.
The fossil collection
Naturama's fossil collection contains approx. 6,000 objects, where 90% of the material is of Danish / Scandinavian origin. The collection includes a large selection of foraminifera, bryozoans, mollusks, trilobites, graptolites and fish remains. The fossil collection contains a unique collection of Funen fossil finds, which has been donated to the museum by Johannes Vang.
The fossil collection also contains a collection of material from the Tertiary Basin (accessed from Paris around 1900). - In terms of time, Naturama's fossil collection covers the periods from the Cambrian to the Silurian / Devonian and from the Jurassic to the Miocene.
Naturama's fossil collection includes Denmark's largest museum collection from Klintholm.
The site Klintholm is known for the very important boundary of two markedly younger periods in the history of the earth representing the warm subtropical sea with the white limestone deposits (Danien) and the subsequent cooler sea with the dark gray marl (Selandia). At the same time, the border marks the end of almost 40 million years of limescale deposition in Denmark. Danienkalk is very rarely found bare, which makes Danienkalken near Klintholm a key geological site in an international perspective.
The Arctic Collection
Naturama has virtually all native animals from the Arctics in its collection, including polar bears, harp seals, walruses, musk oxen, reindeer, polar wolves, polar foxes, polar hares, collared lemmings, snowy owls, peregrine falcons, ptarmigan, sea king, alk, polar guillemots and more. The Arctic collection contains several unique objects, including the largest Danish collection of collar slings.
Naturama's Arctic collection also contains several unique cultural-historical objects.
