In the Wild West 2012

The Harry Butler lecture series 2012 – In the Wild West. A program of lectures by WA Museum staff and associates

Close up profile of Alec Coles CEO of the WA MuseumForeword by Mr Alec Coles, WA Museum Chief Executive Officer.

It is my great pleasure to present the program for the 2012 series of The Western Australian Museum’s Harry Butler Lecture Series: In the Wild West.

This series is now in its third year and once again my sincere thanks go to our principal funding partner Chevron Australia, to WA’s Chief Scientist, Professor Lyn Beazley, the Series Patron, and of course to WA Museum Fellow Dr W.H. (Harry) Butler who not only gives his name to the Series but also plays an active role in developing the content.

Appropriately enough, this year’s lectures focus broadly on collections: making them, caring for them and using them. From cavediving to collect subterranean specimens to following a detective trail to discover the secrets of a Crimean War sabre, there are any number of diverse stories here.

I also have the honour of presenting a talk by Dr Harry Butler on his own methods of field collection, and a lecture by Dr Lyn Beazley on the geological and biological wonders of Western Australia. I too will be contributing a lecture demonstrating that, contrary to some popular opinion, Museum collections are more important to us than ever before.

I look forward to seeing you at the lectures.