Mammal Taxidermy With Allis Markham

Step inside the studio of Allis Markham, award-winning taxidermist and educator, to learn the art, science, and ethics of preserving animals. Over the course of three video lessons, Allis takes her students through the process of mounting mammals as taxidermy from start to finish using techniques you can use at home. Allis demonstrates every step of the process using a skunk that has been ethically sourced (found dead) and provided by a museum for taxidermy, and the concepts covered can be applied to most small-to-medium sized mammals.

By the end of this course, you’ll not only have a deeper understanding of the taxidermy process, but you’ll also be equipped with printable PDFs detailing each step, links to resources that can help you practice mammal taxidermy at home, and tips for legally and ethically acquiring your own specimens. At the very least, you'll leave this course with a new appreciation for the anatomy of the creatures you encounter in your neighborhood or backyard.

While this course is designed for all beginners, it can serve as an appropriate learning tool for makers of all levels. Please be advised that your instructor will be handling biological specimens on camera.

A Note on Course Materials & Format: Please note that this course was originally offered live on Zoom to a group of students. You may hear references to resources that were originally posted on the Google Classroom, and these materials can now be found in your course player. You may also hear an Atlas Obscura moderator facilitating a live Q&A session, references to Zoom features, and the original dates and schedule of the live course—please disregard this information. Enjoy the course!