Adam Savage Gets Hands-On with Creepy-Cool Taxidermy

Adam Savage swings by the National Park Service Museum Conservation Lab — whose lease was just extended for one year — and nerds out over taxidermy with organic objects conservator Fran Ritchie. What was supposed to be a quick five-minute chat turns into a 34-minute deep dive into the special tools, techniques, and weird challenges of preserving century-old mammal mounts from the William Floyd Estate at Fire Island.

Taxidermy conservation might be niche, but it’s crucial for keeping history alive (even if the lab’s future is still up in the air). If you want to help keep this work going, visit your national parks, drop a line to your reps, or support the National Park Conservation Association.

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