American Museum of Natural History. New York State Exhibits.

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Exist Dates

1936 - 1971

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract
Permanent exhibition. Opened 1936 and closed 1971. Located in Sections 12 and 12a, Floor 1 in the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall of the New York State Roosevelt Memorial. The New York State Exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History featured exhibits of New York area birds, minerals, invertebrates, butterflies, moths, and insects, amphibians and reptiles, and mammals.

The New York State Exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History featured exhibits of New York area birds, minerals, invertebrates, butterflies, moths, and insects, amphibians and reptiles, and mammals.

In 1936 the Local Birds collection, which featured New York City area birds, moved from the west corridor on the second to Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall. The installation of the local birds exhibits here included the addition of the Roosevelt Wildlife Sanctuary diorama (1, 1936, p. 14). The rotating exhibits of seasonal birds continued in the Roosevelt Memorial Hall. The General Guides between 1939 and 1943 list the bird species featured as chimney swift, green heron, red-winged blackbird, red-tailed hawk, Baltimore oriole, kingbird, wood thrush, and mourning dove (2, 1939, p. 90; 2, 1943, p. 96). The New York State bird exhibits were rearranged, featuring 32 cases, between 1953-1955 (1, 1954/55, p. 50; 2, 1956, p. 132).

In 1937, the New York City reptiles and amphibians were installed with mounted specimens and color transparencies (1, 1937, p. 14). By 1939, the New York States Exhibits added the Geology and Minerals of New York State, the Mammals of New York State, the Invertebrates of New York State, and the Butterflies and Moths of New York State (2, 1939, p. 4-5).

The Geology and Minerals of New York State featured two cases, one showing the principal minerals of the state and localities in which they were found and the other showing the extent of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic areas of the state (2, 1939, p. 31). The Mammals of New York State included skins of medium-sized mammals, models of larger mammals, and cut-outs of large sea mammals such as whales (2, 1939, p. 113). The exhibits of New York area minerals and invertebrates do not appear in the General Guides after 1945.

In 1971 the New York State Exhibits closed. The following year, collections exhibited as part of the collections of New York birds and mammals were installed in the Halls of New York City Birds and New York State Mammals (1, 1971/72 p. 28, 30).

This is a condensed summary of the exhibition. For additional information, see Sources and/or Related Resources.

Sources

    (1) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Reports. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1936-1971/72.
    (2) General Guide to the Exhibition Halls of the American Museum of Natural History. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1939-1956.

Chronology

  • 1936: The Collection of Local Birds, which opened in 1894, moves from its own location in the west corridor of the second floor to be part of the New York State Exhibits in the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall.
  • 1937: 1937: New York State Reptiles and Amphibians are added to the New York State Exhibits.
  • 1938, approximately - 1939: New York State Geology and Minerals, Butterflies, Invertebrates, and Mammals are added to the New York State Exhibits.
  • 1945: Last mention of New York State Geology and Minerals and New York State Invertebrates in General Guides.
  • 1953, approximately - 1955, approximately: Rearrangement of New York City Birds in New York State Exhibits.
  • 1971: New York State Exhibits closes.
  • 1972: The New York City Birds and New York State Mammals exhibits from the New York State Exhibits move to their own halls on the third floor, the Hall of New York City Birds and the Hall of New York State Mammals.

Terms

place
New YorkExternal link
AMNH: Section 12a, Floor 1; Section 12, Floor 1.

Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Geology and Paleontology.
Related department
American Museum of Natural History. Department of Herpetology.
Related department
American Museum of Natural History. Department of Invertebrate Zoology.
Related department
American Museum of Natural History. Department of Mammalogy.
Related department
American Museum of Natural History. Department of Ornithology.
Related department
American Museum of Natural History. Hall of New York City Birds.
New York City Birds exhibits from New York State Exhibits reopened as Hall of New York City Birds(1, 1936, p. 73; 1, 1939, p. 113)
American Museum of Natural History. Hall of New York State Mammals.
New York State Mammals exhibits from New York State Exhibits reopened as Hall of New York State Mammals (1, 1936, p. 73; 1, 1939, p. 113)
American Museum of Natural History. Local Birds.
Collection of New York City Birds exhibited as Local Birds (1894-1936) before becoming part of the New York State Exhibits
New York State Roosevelt Memorial
Location (Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall) of New York State Exhibits 1936-1971 (1, 1936 p. 14).

Related Resources

subjectOf
Alphabetical guide to the bird exhibits in the American Museum of Natural History.
Date of resource: [1935]; Guide leaflet series ; no. 90; QH1 .G8 no.90 1935
subjectOf
Alphabetical guide to the bird exhibits in the American Museum of Natural History.
Date of resource: [1937]; Guide leaflet series ; no. 90; QH1 .G8 no.90 1937
subjectOf
Alphabetical guide to the bird exhibits in the American Museum of Natural History.
Date of resource: [1942]; Guide leaflet series ; no. 90; QH1 .G8 no.90 1942
American Museum of Natural History Annual Reports
1936 (page 14); 1937 (page 14); 1954/55 (page 50)
American Museum of Natural History General Guides
1936 (page 72); 1939 (pages 31, 65, 68, 79, 96, 113); 1943 (pages 31, 65, 68, 80, 96, 120); 1945 (pages 31, 67, 70, 80, 96, 120); 1953 (pages 92, 106, 150); 1956 (pages 100, 116, 132, 154); 1958 (pages 100, 116, 132, 156); 1962 (10-11, 21); 1964 (pages 10-11, 20)
American Museum of Natural History Special Collections photographic drawers
Repository: AMNH Special Collection [Under Birds Halls, Folder Title “Birds of New York”: Black and white photo prints of exhibit cases]
American Museum of Natural History Special Collections vertical files
Repository: AMNH Special Collection [Under Permanent Halls, Folder Title “Birds of the New York City Area”: News article; press release; teachers’ guide: “Exploring New York City for Birds” - accompanied 36-frame color filmstrip]
subjectOf
Historic Halls of the American Museum of Natural History
Curated digital images of permanent halls in the American Museum of Natural History Library, Digital Special Collections.
subjectOf
The birds of the New York City area : a guide to the exhibit of local birds in American Museum of Natural History, New York / by John L. Bull.
Date of resource: c1958; Science guide ; no. 137;QH1 .G8 no.137 1958

Written by: Clare O'Dowd
Last modified: 2018 November 21


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