Bivalve Molluscs
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Glasgow Museums has a collection of approximately 30,000 dried bivalve shells and some specimens in spirit. The dried shells are grouped into 6,000 lots. They date from 1870 to 2007.
Important collections include those of Alfred Brown (c.1840-1902) Thomas Gray (1820 - 1910) and Robert P. Scase (1914-1993). There are specimens from Britain and around the world, including Russia and the United States.
There is also an important collection of freshwater mussels, mainly from Europe and North America. Most of these were acquired in the 1980s and 1990s by Fred Woodward (1939-2020), a curator at Glasgow Museums.
Collectors' diaries are included within this collection.
About bivalves
Bivalves are molluscs with a two-part shell, which is hinged together. This protects the soft parts of the body when they're closed. Bivalves are mainly filter-feeders and are often attached to or burrowed into the ground. There are about 10,000 species found in all aquatic habitats around the world, some of which are very important sources of food for humans and other animals. - Broader term
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