Capturing Nature: Early photography at the Australian Museum 1857-1893

Capturing Nature - birds nest

Capturing Nature - fish

Drawn from the Australian Museum’s extensive archival collection of over 15,000 plate glass negatives, Capturing Nature showcases the scientific discoveries made by early Australian scientists between the 1850s and 1890s. These images are some of Australia’s earliest natural history photographs. Combining science and art, they tell the story of pioneering research as well as the advent of photography in Australia.

The large images, period cameras and other items included in the exhibition, bring to life subjects ranging from a large sunfish to a gorilla, and even the fragile bones of a flamingo. Most of the specimens photographed at the Museum were taken by the taxidermist, Henry Barnes and his son, along with the help of the Australian Museum’s pioneering curator, Gerard Krefft.

The exhibition reveals the importance of early glass plate photography as a means of capturing history and science. Photography was an expensive and complicated process, so every photo was carefully planned, with the animals and specimens being prepared, posed and positioned for the best natural light and least shadow.

Capturing Nature brings to life a unique and fascinating record of early Australian science, images of Australian fauna at a time of great enthusiasm for science and classification, and the story of one of the greatest inventions - photography.

A touring exhibition created by the Australian Museum.