'UTTERLY absurd' plans to replace the wooden display cases at one of Oxford's most popular museums have been criticised by architects, historians and heritage campaigners.

The wooden display cases in the 19th century Oxford University Museum of Natural History will be replaced by glass cabinets under plans submitted by the University.

But the proposals have met with a backlash from the architectural world despite the fact a number of alterations have been made since the 1850s originals.

Architect Birkin Haward, whose detailed description of the Museum in Architects Journal in 1989 was reproduced by the Museum itself as an illustrative guide to the public, objected 'most forcefully'.

He said: "It would affect a critical element of the design of this wonderful building and as a consequence totally alter one's perception and enjoyment of the interior for ever.

"I find it inconceivable in the current climate of extraordinarily sensitive and skilful resolutions to just this sort of design challenge in museums worldwide that this application is even being considered.

"If it goes through I have absolutely no doubt it will be seen as a matter of regret for years to come."

The cases house a large proportion of the museum's millions of specimens, which includes dinosaur vertebrates, fossils, and the most complete remains of a dodo in the world.

The entire collection is valued at approximately £7m and more 750,000 people visit annually.

Oxford University's heritage assessment concluded the cabinets made a 'small positive contribution' to the historic value of the building and changes made over the years had diminished its worth.

Peter Howell, secretary of the Victorian group of the Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society, disagreed with that assessment.

He said: "It is an astonishing indictment of Oxford University, and of the Museum in particular, that no research has been done into the origin of these cases.

He added: "The contribution which these cases make to the architectural and historical value of the Museum is inestimable.

"The argument in the application that 'the fact that they evoke a sense of history is fortuitous rather than designed' is utterly absurd.

The Museum was designed by Irish architectural practice of Thomas Newenham Deane and Benjamin Woodward in 1854 and constructed over the next eight years.

Architectural historian Frederick O'Dwyer, who wrote a book on the pair and has also advised the Irish government on architectural heritage, also called for the cabinets to remain.

He said: "It will have a negative impact on the amenity of the central court of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

"The fact that the display cases are in part 20th century replicas - with similar construction features - of Deane and Woodward's designs - rather than the originial of 1859-62, does not devalue their importance particularly as they were designed as part of an integrated architectural and decorative scheme by Deane and Woodward."

Historic England said the cabinets had undergone a 'long history' of alterations and little of the original material remained, meaning it had no objection to the replacement.

But the organisation said it was surprised the museum didn't explore their heritage in full.