I’ve learned through visits to the Nova Scotia Archives, written accounts, and conversations with locals, that Andrew Downs was renowned in the Western world. He traveled abroad on numerous occasions trading specimens with major natural history institutions, but there is little documentation to support this narrative. What happened to those specimens he procured near Halifax and shipped overseas? How did the zoological gardens in other cities impact his own design? Where did he fit within the international community of naturalists?
I’m embarking on a voyage to retrace his steps; as The Memorialist I will be visiting museums abroad where Andrew Downs may have exchanged wildlife or knowledge. Any developments will be posted here. You can also follow updates at: https://twitter.com/TheMemorialist
