Recupero di una collezione in liquido di anatomia comparata del Museo di Storia Naturale dell’Università di Pavia

Recovery of a fluid preserved comparative anatomy collection in the Museum of Natural History of the University of Pavia The Natural History Museum of the University of Pavia houses historical collections of Zoology, Mineralogy and Comparative Anatomy, acquired since 1771, including the “Forma del Corpo” Collection, established in 1875 by Leopoldo Maggi. The paper describes the restoration work carried out at the Museum, on the liquid section of the collection, consisting of these steps: opening the jar, testing the alcohol concentration, cleaning the jar and the specimen, preparing the wax for the sealing, redetermination and compilation of the new label, restoration of the jar, sealing of the preparation. Particular attention has been given to the description of the ways of closing the jars, congruent with the original methods of the nineteenth century. The work led to the compilation of an updated catalogue of all the specimens, restored also for the upcoming opening of the new exhibition spaces of the Kosmos Museum at the University of Pavia.