Stephanie Holt
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stephholtnh.bsky.social
Stephanie Holt
@stephholtnh.bsky.social
490 followers 570 following 94 posts
Naturalist & historian specialising in British Wildlife & the history of natural history. Fellow & Trustee of the British Naturalist Association & FLS, MCIEEM. Steering group member for Green Jobs For Nature.
https://linktr.ee/stephanieholtnaturalhistory
Posts Replies Media Videos
stephholtnh.bsky.social
Teaching today in the @morethanadodo.bsky.social seminar room, what better place to teach about natural history & natural history collecting to history undergrads for my first ever class for @ox.ac.uk history faculty! Huge thanks as always to @andy4040.bsky.social for the extra specimen loans!
November 17, 2025 at 7:02 PM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
I had no chance to post about Friday’s fantastic Curious Collections conference for @curioustravellers.bsky.social, but suffice to say these chairs were full as we welcomed nearly 60 guests to @nhm-london.bsky.social for a packed programme on Thomas Pennant and the work (and future🤞) of the project.
November 11, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Reposted by Stephanie Holt
rhyskamjones.bsky.social
Come meet us (@stephholtnh.bsky.social included!) at the Natural History museum next month for specimens, travels, and digital humanities!
curioustravellers.bsky.social Curious Travellers @curioustravellers.bsky.social · Oct 21
Come join us at @nhm-london.bsky.social on November 7th for a day conference on the connections between natural history collections and enlightenment travel writing.

For more information, programme and registration details, follow the link!

curioustravellers.ac.uk/curious-coll...
Curious Collections: Day Conference at the Natural History Museum Curious Travellers is a collaboration between the University of Wales Trinity St David, the University of Glasgow and the Natural History Museum, London, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. It studies the world of C18th travel and natural history through the works of Flintshire naturalist Thomas Pennant (1726–1798), whose multi-volume British Zoology, and Tours of Wales and Scotland helped shape public understanding of the habitats, cultures and histories of the British Isles. We are currently preparing digital editions of the Welsh and Scottish Tours and examining the valuable Pennant collections held at NHM. On Friday 7th November we are holding a day conference in the Natural History Museum exploring the connections between Pennant’s writings, the art-works he commissioned, his vast correspondence network and his specimen collections. We would like this to be a springboard for future cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional collaborations, so please join us for an invigorating day of presentations and discussions! Places are limited so please book by 30 October: a.elias@cymru.ac.uk (01970 636543) Short papers from the Curious Travellers research team and NHM curators, pairing specimens and archive material with research stories drawing on Pennant’s correspondence, travel writing and commissioned art-works. A session exploring intersections between natural science, cultural history and the digital humanities. A chance to see specimens from the Pennant Collection with items from Library and Archives, to talk to the team, and to see panels and creative work from the recent Curious Minds exhibition held in Selborne. A Future Directions panel exploring strategies for research development. Free lunch and a drinks reception (5.30pm-6.30pm).
October 23, 2025 at 8:26 AM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
Back to history today and a lecture for the Oxford History Faculty Environmental Humanities group on @curioustravellers.bsky.social and our Curious Minds: Thomas Pennant and Gilbert White exhibition. #HistoricalResearch #DigitalHumanities #ThomasPennanr #GilbertWhite @ox.ac.uk
October 16, 2025 at 7:36 PM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
Yesterdays launch of the 61st Wildlife Photographer of the Year was excellent - I ran a science station on bats celebrating one of the best bat photos I’ve seen, chatting to our guests about bats, photography, and @nhm-london.bsky.social science 🦇 #WPY61
October 16, 2025 at 7:32 PM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
So busy at the Journeys Of Curiosity conference in Liverpool today that this was the only photo I took! But we had excellent talks covering Wales, the Himalayas, Egypt, Brazil discovering natural history, archaeology, and teacher training…you’ll have to take my word for it though! 🤦‍♀️
September 25, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Reposted by Stephanie Holt
ihr.bsky.social
📣Calling all new research students in history & historical subjects. Do you want to learn how the IHR can help you during your studies?

Join us on the 8 October to find out more.

@royalhistsoc.org @ihrhistorylab.bsky.social @historyandpolicy.bsky.social @chppc.bsky.social

bit.ly/41UPOyG
September 15, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Reposted by Stephanie Holt
gilbertwhites.bsky.social
We are looking for an Environmental Trustee to join our board. 🌱
For full details follow the link: gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk/opportunities/
September 10, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Reposted by Stephanie Holt
jackdashby.bsky.social
150 years ago today, the last known Rodrigues parakeet died.
It - and one other specimen - is now in @zoologymuseum.bsky.social: the only physical evidence the species ever existed.
I wrote about them & the importance of #museums in our knowledge of #extinction:
theconversation.com/the-rodrigue...
The Rodrigues parakeet’s last day: what one extinct bird tells us about the role of museums
Two specimens at a museum in Cambridge are the only physical evidence this bird ever existed.
theconversation.com
August 14, 2025 at 6:48 AM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
Excellent day speaking in The New Dark Aesthetic: The Bats Project at Orleans House Gallery. Nestor Pestana has drawn together such an inspiring project combining art & science for bat conservation, it’s a joy to be a part of it!🦇🦇🦇
#ArtAndScience #ArtOfNature #ArtInConservation
August 3, 2025 at 10:01 AM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
Myself, the amazing Nestor Pestana, and others are doing this event on Saturday at Orleans House Gallery combining the art, science, and mythology of bats! Come along and join in the conversation! #Bats #ArtAndScience
www.orleanshousegallery.org/events/19055...
The Bats Project: Conversation on Darkness, Bats, and Poetry – Orleans House Gallery
www.orleanshousegallery.org
July 29, 2025 at 9:30 AM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
And just like that our exhibition Curious Minds: Thomas Pennant and Gilbert White is over 🥲.
I’ve loved the whole process of exhibition design, installation, and events, and I’m so proud of what we created for @curioustravellers.bsky.social
June 23, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Reposted by Stephanie Holt
curioustravellers.bsky.social
Panel 2 begins! Here is @stephholtnh.bsky.social, explaining the differences and similarities between the real letters between Thomas Pennant and Gilbert White, and the edited and polished versions that make up so much of White's classic 'Natural History of Selborne'
A woman with long hair in a white shirt speaks at a wooden lectern
June 4, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Reposted by Stephanie Holt
curioustravellers.bsky.social
"fossil fish, a collection of graptolites, trilobites, a bear jaw..."

In our new research blog, @stephholtnh.bsky.social gives us a rare hands-on look at Thomas Pennant's specimens in the British Museum

curioustravellers.ac.uk/enlightening...
A row of three connected wooden cabinets, with glass panels, the lids open in a wood floored library
May 30, 2025 at 10:38 AM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
It’s been a beautiful day here in Selborne, and we’re set up and ready to go for the Gilbert White and His Contexts conference!
gilbertwhite.org.uk
#GilbertWhiteConference #GilbertWhite #HistoryOfNaturalHistory #HistoricalResearch
June 2, 2025 at 9:33 PM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
On Thursday I got to view parts of the Du Bois herbarium at @ox.ac.uk. An incredible collection, and, although disbound and reordered in the 19th, fascinating examples of 17thC. herbaria and pre-Linnean nomenclature! #Herbarium #17thCentury #HistoryOfNaturalHistory #HistoricalResearch
May 25, 2025 at 7:20 AM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
Places are booking up for our conference Gilbert White and His Contexts (3-5th June)!

gilbertwhite.org.uk
@bshsnews.bsky.social @sochistnathist.bsky.social @bsecs.bsky.social @gilbertwhites.bsky.social @gilbertwhite.bsky.social @curioustravellers.bsky.social
Gilbert White and his Contexts Conference 2025
Information about the Gilbert White and his Contexts Conference in Selborne, 3-5 June 2025, including proposal submission, registration, programme, travel, and accommodation.
gilbertwhite.org.uk
May 20, 2025 at 5:54 PM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
It’s my Transfer of Status interview today (essential part of my DPhil progression). Re-reading my emotional support copy of the Natural History of Selborne over a cuppa, wish me luck!
May 14, 2025 at 9:41 AM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
Day 2 of #NatSCA2025 @natsca.bsky.social is up and running! I’m speaking later on behalf of @curioustravellers.bsky.social and the @nhm-london.bsky.social Thomas Pennant Collections #HistoryOfNaturalHistory #NaturalHistoryMuseums
May 9, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Reposted by Stephanie Holt
nhm-london.bsky.social
Charles Darwin is best known for his work on evolution.

But he was a prolific scientist who studied much more. Now, over 20,000 of Darwin's letters, books and publications have been recognised as a UNESCO heritage.

Find out what this means 👇
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
Darwin’s letters and books recognised as a UNESCO documentary heritage | Natural History Museum
The documents will join other important archives such as the illuminated manuscripts of Charlemagne’s court.
www.nhm.ac.uk
April 22, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Reposted by Stephanie Holt
batconservation.bsky.social
🦇 Whether you've just discovered you have a bat roost, have had a known bat roost for a while or are just curious about what having bats means this page is for you: buff.ly/hB0v79Y . It's designed to help answer your questions and offer advice and support.
April 20, 2025 at 9:06 AM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
Vote for us! Our amazing Naturally Curious course is up for a Webby Award, but is currently in second place! #WebbyAward #NaturallyCurious vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting...
Vote for the best of the internet
I just voted in The Webby People's Voice Awards and checked my voter registration.
vote.webbyawards.com
April 16, 2025 at 10:44 AM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
Our exhibition catalogue is for Curious Minds: Thomas Pennant and Gilbert White is beautiful! Pop over to my Instagram for a quick flick through!
Copies are available to buy when you visit the exhibition 😁
@curioustravellers.bsky.social
@gilbertwhites.bsky.social

www.instagram.com/reel/DIQ7Wxb...
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April 10, 2025 at 4:20 PM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
How yesterday started vs how it finished! Yesterday we installed the Curious Minds: Thomas Pennant and Gilbert White exhibition from the @curioustravellers.bsky.social project at @gilbertwhites.bsky.social. It looks amazing and is on until 22nd June, do come and visit!
#HistoryOfNaturalHistory
April 8, 2025 at 6:15 AM
stephholtnh.bsky.social
Our exhibition Curious Minds: Thomas Pennant and Gilbert White launches on the 8th April at @gilbertwhites.bsky.social! We’re delighted that the exhibition will feature objects and images loaned by many organisations (see comments!)
Book your place at the launch at [email protected]
March 26, 2025 at 7:02 PM