It all began in 2021 when CSI Media Culture Professor Cynthia Chris’s book Crab was published by Reaktion Books in their acclaimed Animal series.  

“Much of my work has involved representations of animals and human-animal interactions, starting with Watching Wildlife,” Chris explaining why she published a book on natural history. “I was long aware of Reaktion’s Animal series, which explores the cultural history of over 100 animals, and wanted to contribute. Crab was my first opportunity, followed by Cuckoo .” 

The book triggered an interesting reaction in the UK as some of its first readers, many who are self-described crab enthusiasts; they founded the Crab Museum in Margate, Kent, England that same year. “The museum takes an irreverent approach to science education,  and addresses animal intelligence, biodiversity, and climate change, with playful humor—and it attracts as many as 80,000 visitors a year and has won awards for its ‘unhinged’ social media presence.” 

 “When we started our museum, we were novices in the world of the crab, like free-swimming larvae in the soup of knowledge,” said co-director Ned Suesat-Williams, “Cynthia’s book was a great inspiration to us, its interdisciplinarity and deeply incisive engagement with the science helped shepherd us toward and beyond the curious crustacea we share this planet with. Good science, good humor, and Cynthia’s breadth of entanglement make the world a more interesting, accessible place…and that surely is the mark of a good book.” 

On July 18, Professor Chris visited the Crab Museum for the first time and was delighted to read from Crab to a standing-room-only crowd on the museum’s rooftop terrace. Co-director Bertie Suesat-Williams moderated a lively Q&A session, which addressed crab-centric issues ranging from why some of them walk sideways and the mythic origins of the astrological sign Cancer the Crab, to why invertebrates are (unfortunately) excluded from animal welfare protections. 

Because the event coincided with Chris’s birthday, museum staff treated her to a cake delivered by one of the museum’s directors, who was appropriately dressed in a crab suit.  

The event, like her book, delivered not only knowledge, but also quite a few laughs. 

Photo caption: Crab Museum co-director Bertie Suesat-Williams and Professor Cynthia Chris.

By Terry Mares