Spaces and Practices of Natural History

Gentleman scientists once practiced natural history by studying specimens collected from around the world, stored in cabinets of curiosity. From the 17th to 19th centuries, natural history moved out of the cabinet and into the field; these environments required new ways of thinking and different types of scientific workers. This course will track how new spaces, practices, and people became associated with natural history and explore how they shaped the content of the field and the social contours of science.