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As with most museums, the collection you see on display in the Science Museum when you visit, is only the tip of the iceberg of the entire collection. Up until now, many of the remainder (300,000 objects) has been stored in Blythe House in London. But now the collection is being moved to a purpose-built warehouse in Wiltshire. The move is a perfect opportunity for curators, like Jessica Bradford, to see what’s there, re-catalogue long hidden gems and to conserve and care for their treasures. But during the process they have discovered a number of unidentified items that may have been mislabelled, not catalogued properly in the past, or never had their provenance. Some of these objects, like this ‘scoop’, are just so mysterious, or esoteric, that the Science Museum needs the aid of the public to help identify what they are, their uses and any stories they may have pertaining to them. ´óÏó´«Ã½ Inside Science will be showcasing some of these mystery items over the next weeks and months. For item number 1- Jessica, who is the keeper of collection engagement at the Science Museum is whether you recognise, or can shed light on the possible uses of the ‘scoop’ in the picture above.

Email: bbcinsidescience@bbc.co.uk or mysteryobject@sciencemuseum.ac.uk