American Museum of Natural History. Pro-Astronomic Hall.

Exist Dates

1925 - 1935

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract

Permanent exhibition. Opened 1925 and closed 1934. Located on Floor 1, West Corridor. The Pro-Astronomic Hall at the American Museum of Natural History was a smaller exhibit hall created for astronomy before the completion of a grander, more comprehensive Astronomy Hall, which became the Hayden Planetarium. The Pro-Astronomic Hall exhibited plans for the Planetarium (1, 1925, p. 24) as well as paintings and illustrations of astronomy subjects (1, 1926, p. 39).

The Pro-Astronomic Hall featured paintings by Howard Russell Butler, including those of the solar eclipses of 1918, 1923, and 1925, solar prominences, the Aurora Borealis, the Approaching Shadow of the Oregon Total Solar Eclipse, A Lunar Landscape, and the Earth as Seen from the Moon. Other exhibits included photographic transparencies showing eclipse phenomena, comets, meteor trails, and photographs of the moon made at the Yerkes Observatory (2, 1928, p. 9; 1, 1926, p. 39). The corridor outside the hall exhibited eight paintings of volcanism by Angelo Heilprin, models of Mt. Pelee, paintings of Aurora Borealis by Leonard Moore Davis, a rotating monthly sky chart, exhibits of compasses and sundials, and time-measuring instruments (1, 1926, p. 39; 1, 1927, p. 38; 2, 1931, p. 39).

Sources

(1) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Reports. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1925-1931.

(2) General Guide to the Exhibition Halls of the American Museum of Natural History. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1928-1931.

Information for the hall appears in the following Museum publications:

American Museum of Natural History Annual Reports for years 1925 (page 24); 1926 (page iii, 39); 1927 (page 12, 38); 1929 (page 123); 1934 (page 67)

American Museum of Natural History General Guides for years 1927 (page 37); 1928 (page 9); 1930 (page 9); 1929 (page 9); 1931 (page 39); 1932 (page 39); 1933 (page 41); 1934 (page 48)

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Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

Adams, Edward Dean, 1846-1931
Donor, made gift of Butler paintings (1, 1926, p. 39)

Bliss, Susan Dwight
"Deposited" time-measuring instruments exhibited in hall (1, 1927, p. 38).

Butler, Howard Russell 1856-1934
Planned hall (1, 1925, p. 24; artist for paintings exhibited in hall (1, 1926, p. 38).

Davis, Leonard Moore 1864-1938
Artist, Aurora Borealis paintings exhibtied in hall (1, 1927, p. 38).

Hayden Planetarium
The Pro-Astronomic Hall served as the Museum's Astronomy Hall during the planning and construction of the Hayden Planetarium and exhibtied plans for the Planetarium (1, 1926, p. 39).

Heilprin, Angelo 1853-1907
Artist, volcanism paintings exhibited in hall (1, 1926, p. 39).

James Douglas Building Fund
Donor, made gift of Butler paintings (1, 1926, p. 39).

Johnson, Gaylord
Presented photographs from Yerkes Observatory exhibited in hall (1, 1926, p. 39).

Liebman, Charles, J.
Presented Butler painting to Museum (1, 1927, p. 38).

Liebman, Charles, J., Mrs.
Presented Butler painting to Museum (1, 1927, p. 38).

Liebman, Charles, Jr.
Prepared monthly sky chart in hall (1, 1926, p. 39).

Russell, Henry Norris 1877-1957
Planned hall (1, 1925, p. 24).

Related Resources

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.

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