A Whale Dismantling Building Site

November 30, 2020 6:28 AM

The National Museum of Ireland - Natural History in Dublin (known affectionately as the Dead Zoo) needs a renewal of its leaky roof. However, accessing the roof means first de-installing two whale skeletons suspended from the ceiling. Updates of the ongoing work are being reported on Twitter under the hashtag #DeadZooDiary.

The museum itself is sometimes regarded as a "Museum of Museums" - it still features a lot of its Victorian origins: "And because nothing has changed either; it’s Victorian, it’s locked in time, it’s the dead zoo.". There is a 3D Virtual Visit of the museum (in it's pre-dismantling state) available.

posted by scorbet (6 comments total)

The Dead Zoo is everything a museum should be. A stuffed mammal petting zoo [bald patches], the said hanging cetaceans, Barrington's collection of birds killed in collision with Ireland's lighthouses. But bring a hard-hat when they open again to visitors. A staircase collapsed in 2007 injuring 11 and costing the bones of €1million in compo and repairs. Even in the best of times, maintaining the fabric was low on the list of government priorities.
posted by BobTheScientist at 8:42 AM on November 30, 2020 [4 favorites]

A gentle reminder, the term "spirit animal" appropriates Native American religious terms, so Patronus, daemon or kindred spirit are better phases to use.

De-installing the whales is such a feat- I can't believe they were attached to a roof made of glass and steel, no wonder it was leaking. The inside of the museum reminds me of the museums of Natural History at the Smithsonian and Harvard. I guess their animals are behind a lot more glass than the Dead Zoo, but they still has an element of the Victorian collectors.
posted by Hermeowne Grangepurr at 11:09 AM on November 30, 2020 [4 favorites]

Mod note: One comment removed. Please do not use "Spirit Animal". Appropriating concepts from other cultures to use out of context or figuratively is not OK.
posted by loup (staff) at 11:11 AM on November 30, 2020 [4 favorites]

I kinda liked this interesting-with-a-hint-of-frustration quote from the "de-installing" link:

"People have clearly in the past been throwing rubbish into the back of the skull. Probably from the balconies before they were closed for health and safety reasons. There are old coins in here. Some dried out fruit. All sorts of things, some from 20-30 years ago. People have basically been using the specimen as a waste bin," Mr Viscardi said.

"I mean honestly, visitors are walking garbage who will trash absolutely everything withi--- no wait, don't use that bit."
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 4:55 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]

Wow - that building looks amazing! If I'm ever in Ireland again, I'll definitely need to go for a visit.
posted by amanda at 9:29 PM on November 30, 2020

We were there several years ago, but only for a short time as they were about to close. We really enjoyed the old-fashioned museum feel of it, but yes "dead museum" is an apt description. We would love to go back if we get to Ireland again (we are old, and there is the pandemic). Other things we loved in Dublin, the Famine memorial and Famine Ship, Kilmainham (Sp?) Jail, and the wonderful statue of Oscar Wilde, reclining so relaxed on a boulder in a park.
posted by mermayd at 2:36 PM on December 1, 2020