Our big event each year is the annual exhibition or Conversazione and NatHistFest.
This is an annual exhibition on the wonders of the natural world and displays may be on any aspect of natural history, including the interests of individual local naturalists and the work of local organisations. At the 105th Conversazione in April 2024 displays included bees, birds of Cambridgeshire, charcoal making, flora and fauna of Cambridge colleges, meteorites, moths, snails, soil biodiversity, solitary bees, skulls and the activities of local organisations.
We are delighted to announce that Cambridge Natural History Society’s 106th CONVERSAZIONE will be in-person on Saturday 19th April 2025, for one day only, in the David Attenborough Building.
Anyone can exhibit. Click here for details and booking forms.
A Student Prize was awarded for the first time in 2017. For details of the competition and of winners see the Student Prize page.
The word Conversazione comes from the Italian and is roughly translated as ‘a conversation’ or ‘a talking place’. It has been used by scientific societies to describe their annual social exhibitions. CNHS use it because because it is a social event where those attending can not only look at displays but also talk to the exhibitors.
There is an album of photos from the 105th Conversazione, held in April 2024, on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CNHS1857 – Click Photos, Click Albums, Scroll down to and click on e.g. “Conversazione 2024 Photo Album” to see a record of a joyous and fascinating event.
Henry Tribe has written various pieces relating to the history of the CNHS. Several relate to the Conversazione and have been put together with Charles Raven’s history into an illustrated pdf (18 A4 pages) which can be downloaded here.
Past programmes Lists of exhibitors from previous exhibitions can be found here.
An innovation for the 100th Conversazione in 2019 was to have a series of short talks running throughout the event. As that was the 100th one, we made it special by having over 100 exhibits.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic the 2020 Conversazione was unable to take place in April. However, a seasonal NatHistFest was launched online on 10th December 2020 and the exhibits are still on view here.
2021 & 2022 Conversazione and NatHistFest
The 2021 NatHistFest and 2022 NatHist Fest were launched online. Exhibits can be viewed here and here.
In 2023 we were able to revert to an in-person Conversazione: the 104th.