Temple of Science: The Pre-Raphaelites and Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Built between 1855 and 1860, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History is the extraordinary result of close collaboration between artists and scientists. The architect Benjamin Woodward consulted with two groups on the design and decoration of the building: a panel of Oxford scientists and dons, and the society of artists known as the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The museum's decorative art was modeled on the Pre-Raphaelites' principle of meticulous observation of nature, itself indebt...