Merman reunited with mermaid after 30 years (From News Shopper)
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Merman reunited with mermaid after 30 years
7:50am Friday 17th February 2012 in News By Mark Chandler
The Horniman museum's merman
LEWISHAM’S favourite merman is going on tour to be reunited with the mermaid he has been parted from for 30 years.
The merman, a fake mummified creature believed to have originated in Japan, is a firm favourite amongst visitors to Forest Hill’s Horniman Museum.
But next month, he will be temporarily reunited at a Buxton museum with the mermaid he lay alongside in the Wellcome Collection up until 1982.
Curiosities like the merman were often sold by sailors in the Far East and were once believed to be a genuine species.
Recent investigation of the Horniman model’s teeth, X-rays and CT scans all suggest he is constructed mainly of papier-mâché and fish parts.
On February 23, the Horniman hosts Café Sci: An Evening with the Merman. The event is free but booking is required. Email marketing@horniman.ac.uk or call 020 8291 8721.
