Prof. Pfister presented -- Rarest of the Rare: Behind the Treasures

Rarest of the Rare: Behind the Treasures at the Harvard Museum of Natural History
Thursday, November 12, 6:00 pm
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St. 

• James Hanken, Professor of Biology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Curator in Herpetology; Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology; and Director, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
• Nancy Pick, Science Writer and Editor
• Donald Pfister, Asa Gray Professor of Systematic Botany and Curator of the Farlow Library and Herbarium, Harvard University
• Raquel Alonso Perez, Curator, Harvard Mineralogical & Geological Museum

In the words of biologist Edward O. Wilson, the Harvard Museum of Natural History stands as both "cabinet of wonder and temple of science." Its rich and unlikely history involves literary figures, creationists, millionaires, and visionary scientists, from Asa Gray to Stephen Jay Gould. First published in 2004, Rarest of the Rare tells fascinating stories about the vast and diverse collections of animals, minerals, and plants housed at the museum. To celebrate the book’s reissue, a panel will discuss the relevance of the museum’s scientific collections in thetwenty-first century and the value of knowing the history of these great treasures, some of which date back to the 1700s.

Panel Discussion and Book Signing. Free and open to the public.  Complimentary Parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage.