This whale skeleton was remounted in October 2000 by Research Casting. The whale mount has been designed to travel and can be disassembled into seven sections. The skeleton can be displayed at eye level on the ground or by hanging. The ground level mount has a sectional steel tubular frame with removable stand supports. There are four supports for the body, two for the head and one for each paddle. The stands and the sections of the whale are connected to an internal steel armature by a key-way system that allows for easy assembly and disassembly. The spine has an internal steel armature and the ribs and skull have an external armature that is bent to the contours of the individual bones. Hanging the whale can be done by the use of eyebolts discreetly welded to the internal armature. There are five hanging points on the skeleton, four on the head and one on each paddle. In the museum field it is a privilege to work with artifacts from the past. It is a rare privilege indeed, to be asked to assemble a humpback whale that was displayed for many years at the Niagara Falls Museum.

The original mounting of the whale was done around the turn of the 19th century. Much of the metal armature that supported the whale was hand -forged using traditional techniques by a blacksmith. Being a trained blacksmith myself I was fascinated by the techniques used. There were however, many errors in the mounting of the animal and a remount would be necessary to correct it. Much of the original iron armature unfortunately could not be used because it was not consistent with the way the animal should be mounted, as well as simply not safe enough by today's standards. Much research had to be done to determining the correct anatomy of the whale. Information on behavior and habits of whales is easy to come by, but information as to how their skeletons go together is quite another. Fortunately, Canada's own Pierre-Henry Fontaine was a font of information. Being a whale researcher that has examined many whales in the field, and mounted whales skeletons himself, he became one our most important resources. In doing the mount itself we used a blend of old and new technology. We tried to preserve and use what we could from the original mount, and being a blacksmith by trade, I also forged pieces for the mount. If there are any specific questions in regard to displaying the whale or the method of assembly please contact Research Casting International directly.

Dimensions provided by Research Casting:

Length: 40 ft. long • Height on the mount: 10 ft. • Widest point: 18 ft across. (flipper to flipper)

Back to Whale Articles

About the Humpback Whale | Whale Photo Gallery