“What is your favorite specimen in the Museum?”

Curatorial Assistant David Boyd didn’t think long before spinning handles on the crushers to pull out the Largemouth Bass.

“It’s not even the bass. I guess I’m a museum nerd that I love the jar that he’s in,” said David.

The specimen jar is huge and stamped with 1895, while the specimen tag itself says 1932. I’d like to think we’re all museum nerds around here!

Curation assistant, David Boyd, shows off one of his favorite ichthyology specimens. It’s a visitor favorite as well because it’s visual impressive by size and age. Florida Museum photo by Radha Krueger

The top of this jar shows its age and size. It has been decades since it’s been opened and likely will not be able to be properly preserved once the jar seal is broken. Florida Museum photo by Radha Krueger

The specimen label inside the jar shows it was collected in 1932 by G. S. Roberts in Putnam County, Florida. Florida Museum photo by Radha Krueger

This specimen was featured in our 100th anniversary exhibit in 2017. You can read about it on the exhibit site: