The Unnatural History of Animals: Tales from a Zoological Museum

Some people call it ‘Dublin’s best kept secret’. Though you might find that odd, because in one form or another it has been around for almost 250 years.

The Unnatural History of Animals tells the remarkable story of Trinity College’s Zoological Museum, hidden in the heart of Ireland’s oldest university. This beautifully illustrated book brings the museum’s colourful residents to life and uncovers a rich legacy of collecting from the 1800s to the present day, incorporating tales of adventure and tragedy, survival and extinction – all deeply rooted in the 25,000 animals that make up the Zoological Museum. Meet the loveable royal elephant ‘Prince Tom’, who travelled the world with Prince Alfred (Queen Victoria’s second son) only to meet his untimely death in Dublin Zoo. Follow the final journey of ‘Ireland’s last Great Auk’, extinct since 1844. And explore the magic of discovering new things: specimens hidden away from the public view for nearly a century, forgotten about, reconciled to history, now brought back to life as a museum once in decline slowly resurrects itself.

The Unnatural History of Animals is not only about animals and their background stories, but also about people and connections, following a company of adventurers and naturalists from Captain James Cook and Charles Darwin to Sir David Attenborough. Their paths crossed with the museum in different ways, and each has their own story to tell.

Authored by the curator who has cared for the museum for 25 years, The Unnatural History of Animals aspires to educate, entertain, inform and inspire, while highlighting the damage that has already been done to our planet and the animals and plants that share it with us.

Dr Martyn Linnie is curator of the Zoological Museum and Chief Technical Officer (Zoology) in the School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin. He has written over 30 scientific publications and articles on museum collections and natural history, and has featured on national radio and print media extolling the virtues of the museum he has cared for over the last 25 years.