The Life and Times of Carl Akeley: The Man Behind the Hall (Exhibition)

Exist Dates

1973 April 24 - 1973 September 3

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract

Exhibition. Opened April 24, 1973 and closed September 3, 1973. Located on Floor 2 in the African Corridor at the American Museum of Natural History. The Life and Times of Carl Akeley: The Man Behind the Hall explored Akeley's methods for creating the dioramas in the Museum's Akeley Hall of African Mammals and included slides, photographs, a film, and some of Akeley's original material.

Summary

The Life and Times of Carl Akeley: The Man Behind the Hall covered Akeley's career and explored methods for creating the dioramas in the Museum's Akeley Hall of African Mammals and included slides, photographs, a film, and some of Akeley's original material. The exhibition featured an area covering Akeley's methods of creating molds for artificial leaves and coating artificial rocks, his plaster casts of gorilla heads, photographs of Akeley, paintings by Robert Kane and Arthur Jansson, material from Akeley's African field trips, and an example of a wide-arc camera he invented (1; 3, p. 1).

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. "Carl Akeley Featured in Special Exhibit at Museum; Taxidermist-Inventor Revolutionized Techniques of Displaying Wildlife." April 24, 1973. 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, 1973-1974.

(3) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "Calendar of Events, May 1973." April 17, 1973. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.

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Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

Akeley, Carl Ethan 1864-1926
Featured (1)

American Museum of Natural History. Akeley Hall of African Mammals.
Carl Akeley's method for creating dioramas in this hall were featured in the exhibition (1)

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Exhibition.
Designed exhibition (2, p. 31)

Sedacca, Joseph M.
Department of Exhibition, designed exhibition (2, p. 31)

Related Resources

American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1973-1974.

American Museum of Natural History photographic drawers
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [Black and white contact sheets of exhibition on view]

American Museum of Natural History press releases, 1933-1990s.
"Calendar of Events, May 1973." April 12, 1973.; "Carl Akeley Featured in Special Exhibit at Museum; Taxidermist-Inventor Revolutionized Techniques of Displaying Wildlife." April 24, 1973.

American Museum of Natural History Special Collections vertical files
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [News article]

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