Dating the Past with Atoms (Exhibition)

Exist Dates

1962 June 12 - 1963 June

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract

Exhibition. Opened June 12, 1962 and closed June 1963. Located in Section 5, Floor 2 in the Corner Gallery at the American Museum of Natural History. Dating the Past with Atoms presented a survey of methods of radioactive dating.

Summary

Dating the Past with Atoms presented a survey of methods of radioactive dating. The exhibition was a cooperative project between the Museum, the Lamont Geological Observatory of Columbia University, and the Frick Laboratory of the American Museum of Natural History and was designed and executed by the Museum's Department of Exhibition. Malcolm McKenna of the Department of Vertebrate Paleontology served as one of the scientific advisors (1, p. 1; 2, p. 46). The exhibition employed several different display techniques including black light with aluminum tubing banded with fluorescent colors to symbolize a new concept of time, as well as graphic panel displays enhanced by animation.

Highlights (1, p. 1-4):

*Relics of prehistoric cultures

*Part of a baby mammoth that was frozen in a glacier

*Fossils

*A piece of the oldest known rock

*A meteorite

*Objects that illustrated modern dating methods

*A live Geiger counter

*A mural featuring a photograph of cosmic radiation obtained by the satellite Discoverer 32

*A 10,000-year old human skull

*An animated display showing two erupting volcanoes

Section titles in the exhibition included (3):

*What is Radioactivity?

*What is a "Half-Life"?

*What is an Atom?

*What is an Isotope?

*How Carbon 14 is Extracted and Measured

*How Argon 40 is Extracted and Measured

*Two Processes of Radioactive Decay

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

Sources

(1) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "New Exhibit Describes Dating Method that has Revolutionized Man's Concept of Time." June 12, 1962. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.

(2) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1961-1962.

(3) American Museum of Natural History. Photographic Prints. American Museum of Natural History Special Collections, images: 60722, 60724, 61143.

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Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

American Museum of Natural History. Corner Gallery.
Location of exhibition 1962 June 12 – 1963 June (1, p. 1)

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Exhibition.
Designed and executed exhibition (1, p. 1)

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Mineralogy
Related departmner

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Related department

American Museum of Natural History. Frick Laboratory.
Institutional partner (1, p. 1)

Columbia University, Lamont Doherty Geological Observatory
Institutional partner (1, p. 1)

McKenna, Malcolm C.
Scientific advisor (2, p. 46)

Related Resources

American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1961-1962.

American Museum of Natural History annual reports, 1902-2001.
Department of Vertebrate Paleontology Annual Report – July 1, 1961 – June 30, 1962." [1962].; "Report from the Chairman of the Department of Exhibition and Graphic Arts 1 July 1961 – 30 June 1962." [1962]; "Department of Mineralogy Annual Report, 1961-62." [1962]

American Museum of Natural History press releases, 1933-1990s.
"New Exhibit Describes Dating Method that has Revolutionized Man's Concept of Time." June 12, 1962.

American Museum of Natural History Special Collections vertical files
Repository: AMNH Special Collections. [Black and white photo print featured in exhibition]

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