Anatomy of anatomy

This workshop examines the traditional craft of preparing herbarium specimens to document and conserve biodiversity. It explains specimen selection, pressing, mounting and labeling techniques, and how herbarium collections support taxonomic research, ecological monitoring and conservation planning. Participants will gain practical understanding of standard methods, the scientific value of preserved specimens, and how meticulous specimen curation reveals long-term changes in species distribution and environmental conditions.

The work of an herbarium preparer deepens our knowledge of living organisms and supports their conservation. An herbarium functions as a library of biodiversity, housing preserved specimens that document species variation across time. This session examines the traditional techniques used to assemble and mount specimens, tracing methods that date back to the 16th century, and shows how contemporary preparators continue to enrich collections that serve research, taxonomy and conservation.

As part of the European Artistic Crafts Days.

In French.