iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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NHM Library and Archives @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Dig Deeper: The Traveller with Andrea Wulf Tuesday 8 September 18:30–20:00 Join us for a special evening as acclaimed author Andrea Wulf explores the remarkable life and legacy of eighteenth-century naturalist George Forster. £25 (Members £15) Book tickets: buff.ly/3UGnwhq

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

A short history of coffee according to Henry Phillips in his “Pomarium Britannicum” (3rd edition.,1823). Accidentally discovered, would allow a goatherd to “wake and caper” all night and also be used to prevent monks from sleeping at matins … #coffee #history #rarebooks

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The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Jacek Wajer, a botanist and senior curator at NHM London, is in charge of the Linnaean Plant Name Typification Project, which makes him an ideal collaborator. Jacek looks after our two herbaria at the Linnean Society: that of Carl Linnaeus and of James Edward Smith. #VolunteersWeek

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Loving that every year my front wall plays host to a multitude of #ladybug transformations #insects #metamorphosis #ladybirds

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The Public Domain Review @publicdomainrev.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

The art of arranging marine algae into designs, bouquets, and even sometimes intricate little scenes, was surprisingly popular in the 19th century. See an album of such pictures by a woman named Eliza A. Jordson here: publicdomainreview.org/collection/a…

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

A very happy 100th birthday to the absolutely charming and inspirational Sir David Attenborough. I have truly treasured each time I have had the privilege of meeting and talking with you about @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social 's collections & the natural world - an amazing age, an amazing human 💗

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Oh Basilius Besler and your 17 kg volume of botanical beautifulness! It might have been a ‘difficult and extremely laborious botanical work’ for you to complete but the 367 engraved plates of plants growing in the then gardens at Eichstätt is a 1613 masterpiece. #NHMLibrary #Rarebooks #BIGBooks

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The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Since 1888, the Linnean Medal has honoured those advancing our understanding of nature. This year, we celebrate 10 individuals—pioneering researchers, communicators & campaigners—whose work spans discovery, conservation and public engagement, united by a commitment to safeguarding the natural world.

Collage image of ten different people, all looking into the camera.

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Digital Brain @yourdigitalbrain.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

3D printed zoetrope by Kevin Holmes makes frogs appear to leap endlessly on lily pads using optical illusion

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Erica McAlister @flygirlnhm.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Ohhhh tomorrow you can listen to Lee Davies and myself talking flies and fungi with Sue Perkins & Sara Pascoe Nature Table - Tuesday April 14th - 6.30pm on BBC Radio 4 🪰🍄 Much fun was had recording this 😎 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

The #original drawings for Archibald Thorburn’s classic British Mammals are preserved in @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social collections and have been #digitised and available here nhm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44... #bats #mammals #zoologicalart #specialcollections

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

#Cadbury Mini #eggs (created in 1967) or Henrik Grönvold’s watercolours of the eggs of British Birds (1924)? See more of Grönvold’s drawings on @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social ‘s Digitised Collections nhm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44... (mini eggs now all consumed) #Easter #Art #chocolate

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Art UK @artukdotorg.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

Art UK recently visited Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums, where we were lucky enough to go behind the scenes at the museum’s Treasure Hub 🌟 Watch the full film 👉 youtu.be/G0zRmF2eRnA Artworks by Caroline Walker (b.1982) © Caroline Walker.

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The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Join our team as an Engagement Officer, helping to deliver our vibrant programme of events, education and outreach! Application deadline is 19 April, or get in touch with us at hr@linnean.org if you wish to discuss the role. buff.ly/pzep2It

'Now Hiring: Engagement Officer. Help to deliver our vibrant programme of events, education and outreach! Application deadline 19 April.' Text is surrounded by drawings of animals, Carl Linnaeus, with pastel colours and stars.

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

The author being John Gould and the illustration drawn and lithographed by Edward Lear (1812-1888) - five years after he published his work on parrots en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illustr...

en.wikipedia.org

Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots - Wikipedia

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

Seaweed collecting and pressing and then today I got to make some cyanotypes to gain an appreciation of Anna Atkins’ process for her Cyanotypes of British Algae [1843-53]. A big thank you to @tomberryart for his expertise and creativity and for making it a most fun day! #cyanotype #printing #blue

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NHM Library and Archives @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Pigeons, pigeons and more pigeons! In 1887, the Museum purchased five volumes of watercolour drawings of many different breeds of domestic pigeons by Japanese artists. Fancy pigeons were revered as the sacred messengers of the Shinto god of war and archery, Hachiman. Which one is your favourite?

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Friends of the Nations’ Libraries @thefnl.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

A recording from our FNL Briefing on AIL & the Cultural Gifts Scheme is available now! 1.5hrs long & packed with info. and advice. Main speakers: Anastasia Tennant, Joan Winterkorn and @camlibresearch.bsky.social. Thanks to @rluk.ac.uk for making it possible. www.fnl.org.uk/resources/fn...

fnl.org.uk

FNL Briefing on AIL & the Cultural Gifts Scheme

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Finally have my own copy of this beauty of a book by a beauty of a gentleman! The wonderful Henry Noltie whose knowledge, love and expertise of the Indian flora and the history of its botanical illustration remains unsurpassed #botanicalart #historyofbotany #India #Flora

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Loving the new Perfect Specimen podcast with @joshlukedavis.com and Dr Natalie Cooper youtu.be/O_DN-VowPic & was very happy to deliver a 1st edition of Werner’s Nomenclature of Colour (1814). The NHM copy is here nhm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44... (the 2nd ed (1821) too) #rarebooks

youtu.be

Josh quizzes us on the colours of nature | The 'Perfect' Specimen Ep21

YouTube video by Natural History Museum

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

I don’t know what it is but Worthington George Smith’s original drawings of fungi held in @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social ‘s collection just make me very happy #fungi #botanicalart #sheet1068 #Agaricus

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

🦣 The Mastodon giganteus of North America /. Boston: J. Wilson, 1852.. [Source]

Illustration of the skull of Mastodon giganteus, a prehistoric North American mammal, displayed from an inferior view. The detailed drawing highlights the large, rounded cranium with textured surface features, prominent openings for nasal and cranial cavities, and robust jawbone structures. The image showcases the anatomical complexity of the species' skull, emphasizing its massive size and distinctive bone formations typical of the extinct mastodon genus.

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Biodiversity Heritage Library @biodivlibrary.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

🎉 Huge news for BHL: The Field Museum is taking over the hosting of BHL’s website, servers & infrastructure, ensuring long-term stability and access for its 63+ million pages of open biodiversity literature. Learn more: blog.biodiversitylibrary.org/2026/02/tran... #BHLTransition #ILoveBHL 🌍 📚 🧪

An historic black and white illustration of a paper nautilus floating on the ocean. There are boats, a city and hills in the background.

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NHM Library and Archives @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Make no bones about it, we love sharing our collections! For a sneaky peek at the recently digitised 'Memoirs of Ichthyosauri and Plesiosauri, extinct monsters of the ancient earth' by Thomas Hawkins, follow the link to Digitised Special Collections in our bio ⬆️ #DigitisedCollections #FossilFriday

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

A rather lovely #endpaper to end the week in Ausführliche Nachricht von neuentdeckten Zoolithen unbekannter vierfüssiger Tiere (1774). Esper was the first to identify and describe the remains of the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) and early hominids from remains found in the Zoolithenhöhle, Germany #NHM

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Cake topper ☑️ LED “candles” so not to burn down an historic building ☑️ Cake ❌ as delivery never came! Gah. Was a special evening @linneansociety.bsky.social celebrating the Darwin archive’s inscription to the UNESCO Memory of the World register nonetheless. Happy 217th Birthday #CharlesDarwin 🥳

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John McCafferty @jdmccafferty.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

Two mice, Joris Hoefnagel, 1594 Hoefnagel made this drawing especially for his friend Johannes Muisenhol from Frankfurt. The image refers to his surname. The extinguished candle & eaten walnut represent the transience of life.

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The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

What happens when humans are classified? On 19 March, 6pm to 8pm, we’re launching Homo Sapiens | Classifying the Human Animal at the Society, with a panel discussion exploring Carl Linnaeus’ classification of humans and its enduring impact on ideas of race and difference. Book now: buff.ly/frgzC9H

In 1735, the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus published the first edition of his seminal classification work Systema naturae. In the Kingdom of Animals, Linnaeus included humans, which he divided into four varieties according to geographical origin and skin colour. Linnaeus refined his classification of humans over the next two decades, publishing a much more developed classification in the tenth edition of Systema naturae (1758). This work has had fundamental consequences in the emergence of the concept of race, and the ways in which we understand and conceptualise differences between humans.

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

Born on this day the amazing Ferdinand Bauer (1760-1826) - I remember the first time I set eyes on his original drawings of the Genus Pinus it brought tears to my eyes! Now preserved at @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social digitised and freely available to view nhm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44...

A watercolour drawing of branches and pine needles preserved in the Library and Archive collections at the NHM, London

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

So much fun chatting with Josh and Natalie for this podcast in this brilliant #podcast series! If you like monkeys with “trousers”, blue minerals, blancmange references, pufferfish and botanical art you won’t be disappointed 🤣 #collections #art #museumcolleagues #history #lovemyjob

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Very proud to have worked with @edwinrose.bsky.social and our other partners in New Zealand and at Cambridge on this. Even happier to see the fruits of Sydney Parkinson’s skill and efforts in glorious high resolution detail nhm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44... #botanicalart #collaboration

nhm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

🦟 British dragonflies (Odonata) London, L.U. Gill, 1900. [Source]

Illustration of two dragonflies, species Aeschna juncea, shown from a dorsal view with transparent wings extended. The left dragonfly has blue and brown patterned body segments and large blue eyes, while the right one features green and brown body markings with green eyes. Detailed vein structure is visible in the wings. The image is labeled "Plate XVI" and dated circa 1900 by L.U. Gill, highlighting anatomical features of British dragonflies.

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Art UK @artukdotorg.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

'Painters, Ports, and Profits: Artists and the East India Company, 1750-1850' is on view until 31st May at the Yale Center for British Art 🌿 Read about Patna's great artists in this new story about painting nature for the East India Company 👉 artuk.org/discover/sto...

artuk.org

Patna's great artists: painting nature for the East India Company

Discover artworks, explore venues and meet artists. Art UK is the online home for every public collection in the UK, featuring over 750,000 artworks by over 70,000 artists.

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Biodiversity Heritage Library @biodivlibrary.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

💚 Thanks to our global BHL community, we reached our USD 50,000 #GiveBHLWings goal by 1 Jan 2026! These funds support BHL’s transition, staff, and infrastructure, keeping biodiversity knowledge open worldwide. Special thanks to our recurring donors. More updates soon. 🌍 📖 🧪 #BHLTransition

An historic image of a school of blue flying fish soaring above waves.

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The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

Our historic collections have been seen by a huge range of collaborators and visitors from around the world this year. Our team are always happy to provide tours for groups and clubs, or for schools and universities. Find out more at buff.ly/WZaTeR6

The text '2025 Highlights. We’ve shared our historic collections with lots of UK and international visitors this year, from schools and universities to societies', surrounds an image of a member of the collections team showing a book to a group of visitors in our library.

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

A most wonderful and special building (not that I’m remotely biased!). The colours of the terracotta beautifully captured @bar44.bsky.social 💙

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NHM Library and Archives @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

We've put together a 25-day #NHMAdventCalendar of Library and Archives art. Enjoy! 11. The night-blooming Cereus, Robert John Thornton. Did you know... #AdventCalendar2025 #Christmas #SpecialCollections #Art #NaturalHistoryMuseum Alt text: an advent calendar revealing a round orange fllower.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

🐢 The gigantic land-tortoises (living and extinct) in the collection of the British Museum London: Printed by order of the Trustees, 1877. [Source]

Detailed black-and-white illustration of the head and neck of a gigantic land tortoise labeled "Testudo microphyes." The tortoise's head is covered in large, distinct hexagonal and irregular scales, with textured, wrinkled skin along its thick neck. The eye is prominent and round, showing a glossy surface. The drawing emphasizes the rough, scaly texture and folds of the skin, highlighting the tortoise's massive size and ancient, rugged appearance. The image is part of an 1877 collection from the British Museum showcasing living and extinct giant land tortoises.

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

🐬 Gemeinnüzzige Naturgeschichte des Thierreichs bd 2 plates Berlin ;bei Gottlieb August Lange, 1780-1789. [Source]

Historical illustration of a dolphin labeled "Delphinus Orca Linn." showing a dark gray, stocky body with lighter, cream-colored underbelly. Notably, the dolphin has large, rounded pectoral fins resembling ears, a prominent dorsal fin with a jagged edge, and a tail fin. The head is exaggerated with sharp, pointed teeth and a distinctively sculpted face, including a pronounced brow ridge and a green eye. A water spout arches above the dolphin’s head, indicating its aquatic nature. The style is detailed and textured, typical of 18th-century natural history engravings.

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Sharing this lovely lithograph of a #lemur from Voeltzkow’s Säugetiere von Madagascar and Sansibar (1898). Loving its facial expression, fur detail and weird toe nail?!!? #zoologicalart

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Has been a bit of a #bony day today in the collections - these two plates published in A series of engravings representing the bones of the human skeleton .. by John Barclay in 1819 perhaps being my favourites. Both engraved by E. Mitchell #rarebooks #skeletons #barebones

An engraving of the skeleton of an elephant

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Daniel Bellingradt @dbellingradt.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

Just a 1399 unicorn watermark from a paper manufacturer from Valencia to make your day. Friends of #paperhistory know that these paper sheets of around 1400 are among the first sheets of European paper to appear on the market. European #bookhistory was a different game afterwards. #skystorians

A unicorn watermark in one of the oldest European paper sheets.
Source: https://memoryofpaper.eu/apccv/apccv.php?Signatura=1475.1

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Biodiversity Pics @biodiversitypix.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

🦧 The naturalists' miscellany: . London: Printed for Nodder co, 1789.. [Source]

Illustration of a lemur perched on a bare tree branch, holding onto a smaller branch with its hands and feet. The lemur has a rounded body covered in brown fur, a pale face with large, dark eyes, and small rounded ears. The tree trunk is depicted with detailed bark texture and small green leafy sprigs emerging from it. The background is plain, focusing attention on the lemur and tree. The style is a scientific, naturalist drawing from the late 18th century, showing anatomical features clearly for identification.

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Andrea Hart @andreahart.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

Even more #cyanotypes from over 150 years ago by the pioneering Anna Atkins (1799-1871) - her 3 volumes of cyanotypes of British Algae created between 1843-53 preserved @nhmlibraryarchives.bsky.social all digitised & freely available to view nhm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44... #photography

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