The cabinet of curiosities
Department Head and Professor of Biology John Zardus is curating a cabinet of curiosities in Ducket Hall. Zardus was inspired by the cabinets of curiosities that became popular in the 16th century which showcased historical and archeological artifacts, alongside scientific specimens.
“As knowledge expanded and people were beginning to learn new things, they were traveling the world and people of means started collecting curios,” said Zardus. “They brought them back and displayed them in what became known as cabinets of curiosities. Originally, the word ‘cabinet’ meant a room. They filled these rooms with treasures that they collected from all over; the idea was to try and encapsulate world knowledge in a single space. Some of them were very elaborate and actually became the basis of many of our modern-day museums.”
Zardus furnished his own cabinet of curiosities with his personal collection of zoological specimens, collected over 20 years of field work. A specialist in invertebrate zoology, Zardus’s collection features an Antarctic sea spider, an emperor penguin egg, a megalodon tooth and a giant clam, among many others. From sea sponges to beetles, the display reveals a fascinating glimpse of the animal kingdom.
