American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

Animals in War (Exhibition); Animals and the War
birth: 1942 approximate
death: 1943 approximate
Exhibition. Open from 1942-1943. Located on the subway level of the American Museum of Natural History. Animals in War was referred to as an experimental exhibition and included dioramas and paintings.
Summary
Animals in War was referred to as an experimental exhibition and included dioramas and paintings (1, p. 12; 2). Museum documentation does not provide the exact location of the exhibition within the Museum's subway level. The Museum's 1942 Annual Reports, referring to "Animals in War" as an example, states the Department of Preparation was developing "simpler and more economical methods of presentation" in order to function under war-time restrictions (1, p. 12).
*The exhibition included images (2):
*Carrier Pigeons – Aid to Man
*Elephants – Aid to Man: Living Dreadnoughts 200 B.C.
*Horse – Aid to Man: Cavalry used in battle, Cortez invading Mexico
*Mules – Aid to Man
*Greek Dogs – Aid to Man
*Reindeer – Aid to Man
*Dog of Mercy
*Camels – Ship of the Desert
*Camouflage Dogs
*Various images of animals shown in their natural state to equate their natural attributes to war-like functions
This is a condensed summary of the exhibition. For additional information, see Sources and/or Related Resources.