Jenny Haniver (mermaid) in the Smithsonian collections

The National Museum of Natural History holds at least one 'Jenny Haniver'-a dried ray or skate that has been altered to resemble a mermaid-and this specimen is cataloged in the museum's collections. Such prepared specimens are historical curiosities and have been discussed in Smithsonian collection records and staff publications as examples of vernacular taxidermy and hoax objects rather than undiscovered animals. The museum treats the object as an artifact documenting human-made 'cryptid' phenomena and the history of curiosities in natural history collections.