Curious in our way: The culture of nature in Philadelphia, 1740 to 1840

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA

18 - 21 November 2004

Hosted at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and co-sponsored by an impressive array of institutions – the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, the American Philosophical Society, Bartram’s Garden, the Huntington Library, and the Yale Center for British Art – the “Curious” symposium examined the visual culture of North American natural history and the role of drawings, specimens, and books in the trans-Atlantic exchange that was centred in Philadelphia during the 18th century and into the 19th. About 200 people from the U.S., Canada, and Britain gathered for the opportunity to discuss and learn about this fascinating topic over a long weekend, November 18–21, 2004.

The symposium included two days of papers by various historians of art, science, and material culture: Amy Meyers (Yale Center for British Art), Therese O’Malley (National Gallery of Art, Washington DC), Joel Fry (Bartram’s Garden), Mark Laird (Harvard Univ.), Margaret Pritchard (Colonial Williamsburg), Alicia Weisberg-Roberts (Courtauld Institute, London), James Green (Library Company of Philadelphia), Robert McCracken Peck (Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia), and others. The primary approach was art-historical – with some talks quite theoretical or analytical, indeed – but the presentations ranged broadly and presented much of interest for all. The papers will be published in the coming year.

Evening receptions provided an opportunity to see the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia’s massive exhibition celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Lewis & Clark expedition and the American Philosophical Society’s exhibition “Stuffing birds, pressing plants, shaping knowledge: Natural history in North America, 1730-1860”. The final event of the symposium was a tour of the historic Bartram’s Garden, home of the naturalist John Bartram and his son William Bartram, on Sunday morning.

The reception at the “Stuffing birds” exhibition provided a lovely occasion for SHNH President Joe Cain to present this year’s John Thackray Medal to Dr Sue Ann Prince, curator of the exhibition and editor of the collection of essays accompanying it. The exhibition draws together an extraordinary assemblage of historical specimens, drawings, manuscripts, books, and broadsides to explore not only the network of naturalists active in North American during the 18th century but also the processes of natural-history illustration, collection, preservation, and publication.

Meetings Secretary Gina Douglas and Bob Peck organised a dinner on the Saturday evening for members of SHNH attending the symposium. Joe Cain, Gina, former Officers Tony Harvey and John Chalmers, and several others from the UK joined about 50 North American members in a very convivial gathering. Good food, good wine, and good conversation made for a delightful time for all, and several participants in a burst of enthusiasm (not just the wine, I hope) expressed an interest in organising a North American conference in the not-too-distant future.

Leslie Overstreet
Curator Natural-History Rare Books
Smithsonian Institution Libraries
SHNH North American Representative


SHNH presence at the conference

"Curious in our Way" had 199 registered participants on the delegates list, of which 28 were SHNH members (or had membership applications made) which equals 14% of the total. SHNH members included a number of speakers or moderators throughout the sessions.

Approximately 50 people, being SHNH members, and friends, met after the last formal session, on the evening of Saturday 20th November for dinner at the Bistro St Tropez on the 4th floor of 2400 Market St, with a spectacular night view of the Schuylkill River. We are most grateful to Bob Peck for arranging this.

On Sunday morning we had a marvellous tour of the Historic Bartram's Garden where the curator, Joel Fry, and his colleagues, provided expert guidance and access to some of their treasured archives,

Gina Douglas, Meetings Secretary

Presentation of the Thackray Medal

About 100 delegates were present at the American Philosophical Society’s exhibition, “Stuffing birds, pressing plants, shaping knowledge: Natural history in North America, 1730-1860”. This was a large crowd and there were "ooohs" and "ahhhs" aplenty. It was a perfect place for a group like us to meet, the catering was delicious and Dr Sue Anne Prince gathered everyone together on the second floor for a formal welcome. After this I presented her with the 2004 Thackray Medal, awarded for the exhibition, which she gracefully accepted on behalf of the American Philosophical Society. All in all, a delightful occasion.


Joe Cain