THE SKULL INDEX
Public Database Project & Interactive Outreach Educational Talks
THE SKULL INDEX CIC
COMPANY NUMBER: 15735006
PLI INSURED
You can find our team next at:
Durham Museum of Archaeology
Gone But Not Forgotten: Remembering Britain's Vanished Species Through Art and Science
Gone But Not Forgotten brings together museum specimens and original artwork by Stephen Livingstone to explore the stories of animals that have disappeared from Britain or become increasingly rare.
Drawing on rarely displayed objects from Durham University's Natural Science Collection, the exhibition features skeletons, skulls, taxidermy and paintings that reveal the traces animals leave behind and invite us to imagine the lives they once lived. From the giant deer and Great Auk to wolves and lynx, these remarkable species help tell a story of change, loss and survival.
By using art and natural history, the exhibition encourages visitors to look more closely at the natural world, reflect on Britain's changing wildlife, and consider why these stories still matter today.
The exhibition includes a loan of a Great Auk specimen from the Natural History Society of Northumbria, helping to showcase one of Britain's most iconic extinct birds.
Volunteers of The Skull Index CIC will be at this exhibition with tables full of skulls, pelts, and other natural history specimens for 3 days during this exhibition.
Friday 28th
Saturday 29th August
Saturday 12th September
11.00AM -3.00PM
FREE, no need to book, just drop by!
More information here
Museum of Archaeology,
Palace Green Library,
Palace Green,
Durham
DH1 3RN
OUTREACH & EDUCATION
While the project is in its early stages, we would love to start branching out by offering educational stalls at events, community centers, or schools. Allowing handling sessions of specimens, ID guessing games and tailored talks around particular subjects or curriculums.
We offer free talks/visits for local community groups, homeschooling, and outdoor events, where possible, for accessible education. However, we are working on implementing small, affordable packages for Schools and Universities where their budget allows. This should be updated and implemented by the end of 2026.
There is no charge for talks for homeschooling, outdoor family events or community groups/centres; however, we ask for a small donation to help cover the basic travel costs, lunch, table hires [where applicable], and to share our website with colleagues and friends! Currently, we are available for outreach talks around Leicestershire & County Durham, UK. But in 2026 we aim to provide talks across the UK and parts of the USA with our international team.
Species guessing game table at Darlington's misfits market with various skulls and leaflets about The Skull Index, by our promotional and outreach Volunteer staff, Grace!
ARTS COMMUNITY?
Are you an arts or culture-based community that does creative workshops?
Our specimens may be beneficial for observational drawing sessions or other reference material.
Our Director, a freelance illustrator based in Leicestershire, hopes to collaborate with community workshops to enable communities to use skulls as creative references in person.
Observational drawing helps hone hand-eye coordination, as well as aid in understanding visual perception. Our skulls could be combined with other objects like fruit, pottery, and plants to create a great observational setup for people of all ages to sketch.
Our specimen photos on our species database are also suitable for art references for non-commercial projects.
CONTACT US
If you know of any events local to Leicestershire or County Durham that may benefit from an educational stall from The Skull Index, or if you are interested in a tailored talk, please reach out to us by email. theskullindex@outlook.com
We'd also love to connect and collaborate with wildlife or natural history societies, as well as local small businesses that strive for eco-friendly awareness across the UK.