General Information / History

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History of the invertebrate animals collections

1804 Donation to the “Burgerbibliothek” (the later Natural History Museum): Oldest insects collection (Karl Viktor von Bonstetten, 1745-1832), containing the collections of the schoolmaster Rudolf Schärer (collected ca. 1770; † 1772) and of Jakob Samuel Wyttenbach (1749-1830). Value of the collection probably insignificant, today the collection is missing.

1832 Foundation of the Natural History Museum.

1835 Entomological and malacological collection of Samuel Emanuel Studer (1757-1834). Value of the collection probably insignificant, today the bulk of the collection is missing.

from 1858 onwards: The collections of the museum are increased and maintained by members of the Entomological Association Bern.

1874 Receipt of the important malacological collection of Robert James Shuttleworth (1810-1874).

1878 Moritz Isenschmid (1850-1878) bequeaths to the museum his extensive insect collection and a legacy with the provision, to use the interest proceeds for the employment of a curator of entomology.

1879-1881 Dr. Albert Müller, first curator of entomology.

1881-1917 Dr. Theodor Steck (1857-1937), curator. The yields from the Isenschmid donation are no longer sufficient for paying a curator.

1917-1927 Charles Ferrière (1888-1979), curator. In 1927, appointment to the British Museum of Natural History, later to the Musée d’Histoire Naturelle de Genève.

1927-1928 Dr. Theodor Steck, curator ad interim.

1928-1950 Dr. Gabrielle Montet (1882-1956), curator.

1951-1963 Prof. Dr. Walter Huber (1917-1984), curator, from 1964 onwards director of the museum.

1964-1988 Dr. Hans Dieter Volkart, curator.

1988-1996 Dr. Charles Huber, curator ad interim.

1992 Start of the computer inventory of collection specimens.

Since 1996- Dr. Christian Kropf curator.

2002 The collections have increased to 1.7 million specimens (entomology), and 1.2 million specimens respectively (malacology).

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