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The Alfred Denny Museum of Zoology

The museum was established in 1905 and named after the department's first professor of biology, Alfred Denny. Many of the specimens have been in the museum since the early 1900s when collecting was at its peak.

The facility has been in continuous use for teaching undergraduates for more than 100 years.

Book your place now

The Alfred Denny Museum is usually open on the first Saturday of each month for guided tours at 10am, 11am and 12pm.

PLEASE NOTE:  The booking system will not accept bookings from 12 pm on the Friday before the tour, and will reopen at 12 pm on the Monday following the tour.

Reserve your place

Picture of skeletonMuseum highlights

  • High quality specimens from across the globe from all major phyla including fossils and material of extinct animals, which demonstrate the diversity of animal life on earth. The displays include a large spirit collection (animals stored in alcohol) and fully articulated skeletons of a wide range of vertebrates (backboned animals).
  • Rare glass lantern slides donated to the museum by Henry Clifton Sorby, who developed a pioneering technique of mounting marine animals in thin sheets of glass, so they could be projected onto a screen for viewing.
  • Two letters written from Charles Darwin to Henry Denny (Alfred Denny's father), which are available in transcription.

Image of a Sorby slideNews

In 2012 the Alfred Denny Museum was rejuvenated. This was in preparation for the museum's first opening to public which took place as part of the Festival of the Mind.

It was achieved through the efforts of a team of student volunteers led by then post-graduate student Louise Heaton, Dr Lynne Fox, the University Heritage Officer, and Professor Tim Birkhead, who was the museum's curator until 2018.

A brand new glass foyer ensures all displays and exhibits are now always visible to the student body.

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ArtworkPaul Evans

You may have noticed some stylish bird transfers on the museum doors. these are the work of local artist Paul Evans with whom we collaborated as part of the Festival of the Mind.

Watch this website for news of other events.

Image of museumFind us

Alfred Denny Museum
Dept Animal and Plant Sciences
Alfred Denny Building
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield S10 2TN
UK

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