Robert A. Gilbert Room
About
Named in honor of Robert A. Gilbert (1869–1942), one of the earliest natural history photographers in North America.
Gilbert began working for William Brewster, an ornithologist and curator at the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ), in 1896, assisting with Brewster’s studies of the birds of New England. Gilbert was a research collaborator, specimen preparator and photographer. He photographed birds as well as other animals and plants in their natural habitat, which was a novel idea during the turn of the 20th century. Gilbert was instrumental in Brewster’s transition from collecting scientific data and bird specimens with a shotgun to using photography to record natural history.
Brewster’s specimen collection was gifted to the MCZ when he died in 1919, along with funding for a staff position for Gilbert. While our records are limited, we believe Gilbert worked on exhibit design and specimen preparation in the museum. Obituaries published by The Auk and the MCZ highlighted Gilbert’s integrity and kindness, expressing he was beloved and highly regarded by colleagues and those familiar with his work.
The Life and Work of Robert Alexander Gilbert: Empowering New Insights through Digitization and Transcription of Archival Materials - Biodiversity Heritage Library