The Historical Collection of Dr. Eva Crane

Abstract

At the beginning of 2022, the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) donated its Historical Collection to the Eva Crane Trust (ECT). It covers numerous objects related to beekeeping that Dr Eva Crane collected during her many travels in the post-war period. In this way, the collection is now under the management of the charity that bears the name of the person who collected the objects. In recent decades, the historical collection has roamed around numerous Flemish institutions under the impulse of Emeritus Professor Octaaf Van Laere, always with the good intention of taking care of this heritage. In the last period from 2014–2022, the collection was housed in the beekeeping museum in Kalmthout, where a small part of the collection was also exhibited. Due to renovation works in Kalmthout, the collection had to be stored elsewhere by May 2022.