Natural History

The Kingsley Natural History Gallery was opened in October 1994. It is named after the Reverend Charles Kingsley, author of the Water Babies.

The gallery has four themed areas: the history of the Victorian Chester naturalists; local species and projects; local environmental projects and a hands-on Activity Room.

The Victorian history begins with the life of Charles Kingsley (1819-1875). Kingsley was born in Holne, Devon and was Rector at Eversley, Hampshire for thirty years. He was a great naturalist with a special interest in botany and geology. Kingsley was Canon of Chester Cathedral from 1871 to 1874 and founded the Chester Society of Natural Science.

A highlight of the gallery is the mock Victorian naturalist's study. It contains the moth collection of Herbert Dobie, many of the moths collected from the first electric street lights in Chester.

Professor Robert Newstead (1859-1947) was the first Honorary Curator of the Museum. His skills in taxidermy and the study of insects are celebrated through a display of his Insect Life Cycle Boxes.

Historically important Cheshire collections include cited birds and hawkmoths. The Chirotherium fossil footprints are from Storeton Quarry on Wirral and include a computer animation of what we think Chirotherium looked like.

Interactives include 'A Look at Cheshire Wildlife' with animal calls and bird songs; a Micrarium to view microscope slides and a Videoscope.

The Activity Room is open at weekends. Visitors can explore the Museum's insect and fossil collections, handle objects, use CD Roms and surf the net.