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 indebted to science. The structure was an experiment in using
architecture and art to communicate natural history, modern science, and
natural theology. Temple of Science sets out the history of the campaign
to build the museum before taking the reader on a tour of the art found
in the museum itself. It looks at the façade and the central court, the
natural history carvings and marble columns illustrating different
geological strata, and the meticulously carved sculptures of influential
scientists. With unique insights and lavish illustrations, Temple of
Science tells the story of one of the most remarkable collaborations
between scientists and artists in European art.