Some deadly discoveries have been made at a collection in Leeds city centre.
The Leeds Discovery Centre is home to more than a million objects and is used to store parts of the Leeds collection which are not currently on display. The items span tens of millions of years of world history and contained inside Store 2, there are some deadly finds.
Among the creepy crawlies, the centre also houses a collection of radioactive materials, which each need testing regularly with a Geiger counter. There is also a collection of giant teeth once belonging to a Megalodon, a 50ft, 60 tonne, prehistoric shark that lived more than 20 million years ago.
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Radioactive materials housed in Store 2 include Victorian glassware with a beautiful green tinge which belies a dangerous secret. The colouring was on trend in the Victorian era as it helped ornaments stand out in the early evening light.
However the effect was created using small quantities of uranium, the radioactive element used, in much larger quantities, to power nuclear submarines. Because of the nature of its contents, access to Store 2 is restricted to trained members of staff and is off limits to the public.
Clare Brown, Leeds Museums and Galleries’ curator of natural sciences, said: “There’s a natural sense of mystery and curiosity around Store 2 and the objects inside, and they’ve certainly been safely locked away for good reason.
“But each object has also been collected and kept safe because they tell us something important about our history and the world around us.
“The black widow, for example, is a fascinating creature with a fearsome reputation. But the story behind this particular specimen also demonstrates how the scope and scale of global food production and transportation has affected the lives and behaviours of native species all over the world.
“Studying these hazardous objects very carefully can offer curators a unique insight into everything from natural history and geology right through to mass production and social trends, and hopefully, we can pass some of those fascinating lessons on to our visitors.”
The Discovery Centre is only open for tours by appointment, the items found in Store 2 are restricted to trained members. You can still see an array of insects and arachnids discovered from years ago among the regular collection.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education, said: “Every year, our museums host an incredible array of events, displays and exhibitions which welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors.
“But it is this painstaking, behind-the-scenes research and work which goes on every day that makes those exhibitions possible and which ensures Leeds is home to a truly world class collection of objects.”
The Leeds Discovery Centre is home to more than a million objects and is used to store parts of the Leeds collection which are not currently on display, spanning tens of millions of years of world history.
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