General Links General Links

Conservation News January 2008

The polar bear before being washed
The polar bear before being washed
Hosing down the polar bear
Hosing down the polar bear
Making sure the bear's face is clean
Making sure the bear's face is clean

Washing the Polar Bear

Our polar bear is nearly 200 years old, it was acquired by the museum service in 1828. 

On a cold day in January our conservator and taxidermist washed our polar bear. The taxidermist used a secret 'recipe' of cleaning ingredients to give our polar bear its first wash in nearly 200 years. Members of the local press and staff from Leeds Museums and Galleries came to watch the spectacle.

The newly clean polar bear will form part of the Natural Science galleries in the new Leeds City Museum, opening in August 2008.