Badger earns its stripes on display

The badger is one of a number of preserved animals on display alongside works of art and vintage fashion in the museum’s For All Seasons exhibition.

One of the most recognisable British mammals, female badgers give birth to litters of up to five cubs, keeping the vulnerable babies warm and safe in nests within the sett - a large system of burrows and chambers where badgers live in groups.

Ruth Martin, Leeds City Museum’s curator of exhibitions, said: “The animals we have on display as part of For All Seasons help to illustrate the varied and all-encompassing impact the changing seasons have on the natural world.

“Annual patterns in the weather determine everything from how and when animals breed to how they live and how they feed, so we have the British weather to thank for having such a diverse and beautiful array of wildlife all around us.”

The free exhibition examines the influence of the changing seasons.

Councillor Brian Selby, Leeds City Council’s lead member for museums and galleries, said: “I’m sure visitors and families will have a lot of fun exploring the many features that make spring, summer, autumn and winter so unique and learning how they come together to shape our year.”

Visitors to For All Seasons can make their own lino prints at a workshop, which costs £10, with designer and printmaker Kirstie Williams on May 12. Booking is required. Contact the museum on 0113 224 3732.

For more details about the exhibition and the programme of activities please visit: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries/Pages/Seasons.aspx.