When checking out their website I saw a number of images of taxidermmy dogs, and I was looking forward to checking them out, unfortunately it's just one small display, and only of mounted heads. The bloodhound was the most interesting drawing prospect but he was so awkwardly mounted, side on in the end of the cabinet. The only other times I've found taxidermmy dogs were in The Natural History Museum branch at Tring, and in a University in Portugal - oh and one in the Swedish Natural History Museum which had been on display in the foyer for years, with many Swedish children believing he came to life at night as a guard dog, sweet!
There was a cabinet display for genetics traits in breeding using mice, which was just a great supply of mounted mice to draw for me.
Of course there were Hares, and of course I had to draw them.
Then finally something different, Shrews. Little tiny balls of fluff and delicate features, and the Elephant Shrew (more guinea pig size than elephant really), and looks surprisingly like 'Scrat' from Ice Age don't you think? Scrat is supposedly a fictional animal made up by the animators, half squirrel, half rat. I'm thinking an Elephant Shrew with a squirrel tail and overbite!
The Museum is free to enter, has a large gorgeous garden/park around it, and a cafe - with yummy looking cakes. Will definitely visit this one again, and next time I'm having a cup cake too!
