SPPC - Symposium on Palaeontological Preparation and Conservation

The 30th Symposium of Palaeontological Preparation and Conservation

Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, 26-27th June 2025

From Excavation to Exhibition

Call for abstracts

Please send abstracts of up to 250 words plus an image to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 30th April. Abstracts will be considered on any topic of earth science excavation, conservation, preparation mount-making and exhibition. Please state if the abstract is for a poster or platform presentation.

Examples of previous years’ abstracts can be found online at https://www.geocurator.org/events/97-sppc

SPPC2025_save-date

The 30^th Symposium on Palaeontological Preparation and Conservation will be held in the Netherlands this year on 26-27^th June.

The theme will be From Excavation to Exhibition and we hope to broaden our usual remit to include more aspects of the story of how geological collections end up on display in our museums, as well as their conservation and preparation.

Two days of presentations, tours and workshops, including a chance to hear about developing “Triceratops: the herd” exhibition from the Naturalis preparation team.

Day 1: Registration, presentations and posters (lunch included)

Day 2: Workshops and tours (lunch included)

Workshops

You may attend multiple workshops on the second day of the symposium, but please indicate your first preference so we can get an idea of numbers.

Radioactive bones, and how to deal with them
How to start up a project for pyrite in a natural history collection
How to build frames for exhibitions

Suggested hotels nearby

Fletcher Hotel
Ibis Hotel
IntercityHotel Leiden
Golden Tulip & Tulip Inn Leiden Centre

If you would also like to meet up in the evening we suggest Stadscafe van der Werff

There is another event in Leiden at this time, so please do book your hotel as soon as possible.

This event is aimed at Fossil preparators, conservators, mount-makers, exhibition specialists, archaeologists, volunteers, students, curators

Individual Registration

Please use this form to register for SPPC 2025

Please read the Geological Curators Group Events Policy before proceeding. It contains important information regarding your booking. If you have any questions or problems with the booking or payment systems please e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for assistance.

Ticket Information

Ticket Type	Price	Quantity
Non-member This is the ticket for non-GCG members	EUR80.00
Member and unwaged This is the ticket for GCG members and those who are unwaged	EUR75.00
Workshop 1: Radioactive bones, and how to deal with them You may attend multiple workshops on the second day of the symposium. Please tick all workshops you wish to attend.	EUR0.00
Workshop 2: How to start up a project for pyrite in a natural history collection You may attend multiple workshops on the second day of the symposium. Please tick all workshops you wish to attend.	EUR0.00
Workshop 3: 3D scanning and modelling 3D printing You may attend multiple workshops on the second day of the symposium. Please tick all workshops you wish to attend.	EUR0.00

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Please note: Many of our committee are working remotely, or only have limited time in the office. We would prefer to collect any payment due using the PayPal payment platform. If you cannot use PayPal, then please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as we have a number of other options available.

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The SPPC is intended as a forum in which professionals, amateurs and researchers alike, interested in all aspects of preparation, conservation, model-making and related subjects, can participate. The SPPC offers a unique opportunity to meet friends and colleagues and to discuss recent developments, ongoing research, and other, often museum related, projects. Although the SPPC generally precedes the the SVPCA conference, contributions are not limited to the field of vertebrate palaeontology.

SPPC Conferences have been run since 1992, either before or after the SVPCA, and many participants attend both conferences. Over recent years the number of talks on offer has been in decline, and there is a need for discussion on the nature and identity of this event. Conferences are held in a variety of venues, and offer a great opportunity both to share experience and to have the chance to look over the facilities other organisations and how they are used.

Previous talks and posters can be found here.

SPPC abstract archive

This section contains a listing of talks and posters delivered at SPPC in previous years. If you are wondering what SPPC is all about, or if it is for you, then this is a good place to start. The abstracts are organised by year - if you are looking for a specific abstract, then please try using the search function in the right hand menu of the website.

We particularly encourage you to check out the following links:

SPPC 2025 - Leiden

Individual Registration

Please use this form to register for SPPC 2025

Ticket Information

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What is SPPC?

SPPC abstract archive

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