Zoology Building

57°10′04″N 2°06′23″W / 57.1679°N 2.1063°W / 57.1679; -2.1063

Exterior of the building

The Zoology Building is a facility owned by the University of Aberdeen. It is situated in Tillydrone.

History

During construction, the building collapsed on 1 November 1966. It had been expected to be completed by summer 1967.[1] Eight people were trapped, of which five died.[2] Clearing of the site started in February 1967, and was completed in April.[1]

The present building was constructed on the same plot as the previous building and is of a similar design. Plans were approved in September 1967.[3] The present building opened in 1970.[2]

Zoology Museum

The building contains the Zoology Museum. It holds various exhibits from the university's collections.[4] Specimens range in age from the 1840s to the late 1970s.[5] The only known egg from the Jerdon's courser was discovered in an uncatalogued drawer in the museum. The discovery was confirmed with DNA testing.[6][7]

The building was also featured in Tetris depicting a Soviet Russian government building.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ a b "Step by careful step... before a new building goes up". Evening Express. 15 November 1966. p. 16. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Fifty years since Aberdeen zoology building collapsed 'like house of cards'". BBC News. 2 November 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Fresh plans approved for University Zoology Department". Evening Express. 15 September 1967. p. 19. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Memories of The Zoology Museum at Aberdeen University". The Orkney News. 26 December 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  5. ^ Milne, Ellie (30 April 2021). "Aberdeen University awarded funding to reignite one of its most diverse collections". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  6. ^ Urquhart, Frank (8 October 2013). "Rare bird egg found in Aberdeen Uni museum drawer". The Scotsman. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  7. ^ Nicholls, Henry (25 June 2015). "Good egg: rare specimen discovered after 100 years in a drawer". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  8. ^ Cameron, Ewan. "Behind the scenes: How Tetris crew turned Aberdeen into Soviet-era Moscow and Japan". Press and Journal. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  9. ^ Durham, Thomas (18 February 2023). "Images show off Aberdeen in the style of a Soviet city during Tetris filming". aberdeenlive. Retrieved 1 August 2023.