Holly Morgenroth
Collections Officer
My day to day work varies enormously, which is part of the reason I enjoy my job so much. I spend as much time as I can working directly with the natural sciences collections (biology and geology) to learn more about them, improve access to them and ensure they are appropriately cared for. Recent projects include researching late 18th century Indian botanical drawings and Geroge Montagu’s shell collection.
My other jobs include replying to enquires from the public, making specimen information available online, giving talks and tours, managing the volunteers and consultants who help me with the collections and associated archive and writing exhibitions. I also manage RAMM’s team of Assistant Curators.
Contact
Phone: 01392 265358
Email: holly.morgenroth@exeter.gov.uk
Address: Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Queen Street, Exeter EX4 3RX
Biography
My undergraduate degree is in Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology from the University of Plymouth. During this time Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery were seeking volunteers to assist with a wet preserved marine biology collection and I offered to help. My interest in museum curatorship as a career was sparked instantly and I have had the privilege to work with some outstanding marine collections. I am also far happier on land than on, or in, the water so this career choice has suited me very well.
In 2009 I graduated from the University of Leicester with an MSc in Museum Studies and as part of this I undertook an 8 week work placement at RAMM helping with family education events, digital media and natural history.
My first museum job was a 6 month contract with National Museum Wales, Cardiff, as a Curatorial Assistant working on a collection of marine worms – sorting, documenting and conserving the specimens. After this I was lucky enough to return to RAMM in April 2010 as the Assistant Curator of Natural History to help with the redevelopment. Although this was initially only a 5 month contract I am still here and became Curator of Natural History in December 2012.
Current and past projects
- George Montagu’s shell collection
- Juliana Linter’s shell collection
- A specimen collected by Alfred Russel Wallace
- Indian botanical drawings
Publications
- Morgenroth H., Oliver P.G. & Breure A.S.H, 2018. The Miss J. E. Linter (1844-1909) collection of land snails in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter, England: A provisional assessment. Colligo, 1(2). https://perma.cc/K7GA-DU9L
- Oliver PG, Morgenroth H (2018) Additional Type and other Notable specimens of Mollusca from the Montagu Collection in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter. Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(2): 281-303.
- Oliver PG, Morgenroth H, Salvador A (2017) Type specimens of Mollusca described by Col. George Montagu in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter and The Natural History Museum, London. Zoosystematics and Evolution 93(2): 363-412.
- Phyllis Knight-Jones – A remarkable life (1933–2009) A. S. Y. Mackie, G. Oddy, H. Morgenroth
Italian Journal of Zoology Vol. 78, Iss. sup1, 2011 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/11250003.2011.574018 - Fly on the Wall: A New Insect Gallery for the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery Holly Morgenroth
NatSCA News, Issue 23, pages 64 – 69 http://natsca.org/article/96