Sometimes a change in location leads to a change in perspective. That was true for Patricia Torres-Pineda, an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Ph.D. student and Curatorial Assistant in the Division of Fishes at the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology (UMMZ). Last fall, Pat gained hands-on insight into one of Switzerland’s oldest natural history collections. As an intern at the Museum of Natural History of Bern (NMBE), she had the opportunity to explore the many shared and distinctive practices between the U-M and NMBE.

Pat was particularly fascinated by how the NMBE connects scientific research, public education, and cultural history. As a dual-studies Ph.D. student with a second degree in museum studies, she says, “I think it’s very important for us as museum people to experience different museums and different ways of doing things. The museum studies program helped me conceptualize a lot of the things I already do in a larger world context.”

During her three-month internship, Pat supported the day-to-day work of the fish collection under the supervision of NMBE curator Dr. Lukas Rüber, including specimen management, loans, and the preparation of tissue samples for genetic research. One of the most exciting projects involved historical specimens of endangered European fish species. The NMBE is collaborating with research institutions across Europe, including the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, to study the genomic differences between historical populations and those living today.

“It was very interesting to see how collections can be used as a source of genetic material, even for endangered species,” Pat says. “The historical material can give us a better idea of how populations have changed and what we can do to better aid in their conservation.”

 

The work also offered a chance to compare collection practices. The fish collection in Bern was in the process of transitioning from spreadsheets to a collections management system. “I realized that having a comprehensive, centralized database like ours at UMMZ is a luxury that not all collections have,” Pat says. “It was exciting to see them beginning that transition.”

The experience extended beyond the museum as Pat also participated in fieldwork in Switzerland, collecting fish and documenting the habitats in which they live. For Pat, the experience offered a new perspective on fish diversity and evolution. “I had the chance to see that the same kinds of evolutionary processes I study in tropical systems can also happen in cold, temperate environments, just in a different way,” Pat says. “It was remarkable how much diversity there is in a temperate, high-altitude environment.” Switzerland’s many lakes and waterways have a complex geological history shaped by glacial activity. As glaciers retreated, populations of fish became isolated in different lakes, creating opportunities for evolutionary divergence.

One of Pat’s highlights of the experience was seeing how the NMBE brings scientific collections into conversation with cultural history. The museum’s exhibitions explore not only biodiversity and evolution, but also the relationships between people, animals, and the natural world. One example is the story of Barry, a famous St. Bernard dog who lived at a monastery in the Swiss Alps and was credited with rescuing dozens of people lost in the mountains. The museum's exhibition about Barry combines the history of the celebrated dog with specimens from its collections, including the skulls of St. Bernards from different periods. Together, the specimens show how selective breeding has changed the physical characteristics of the breed over time.

“Seeing how the collections inform the exhibitions, and how the exhibitions bring in the cultural aspects and history, was very powerful,” Pat says. “I think that’s what makes an exhibition really meaningful. It can work on different levels.”

Another fascinating insight was into how the NMBE's collections are incorporated directly into some exhibition spaces, allowing visitors to see the material preserved behind the scenes. “I love the idea of combining scientific research and collections with cultural knowledge and people's own experiences,” Pat says. “People get excited when they recognize something, when they’ve heard about it, or grew up knowing about it, and then they get to experience it from another perspective.”

That perspective is already shaping Pat’s ideas for future work. “I’m bringing a lot of this experience back with me,” she says. “The program has helped me understand the work I do in a larger context, and I think that’s really important.”