This Exhibit in Preparation (Exhibition)

Exist Dates

1975 October 10 - 1976 July

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract

Exhibition. Opened October 10, 1975 and closed July 1976. Located in Section 1A, Floor 1 in Gallery 77 at the American Museum of Natural History. This Exhibit in Preparation explained how the Museum's Department of Exhibition and Graphics created and mounted exhibits in the Museum.

Summary

This Exhibit in Preparation explained how the Museum's Department of Exhibition and Graphics created and mounted exhibits in the Museum. The exhibition featured a specially constructed serpentine walkway to lead visitors through the exhibition (1, which was curated by George S. Gardner, Chairman of the Department of Exhibition and Graphics. Members of the department whose work was featured included Martin W. Cassidy, George F. Campbell, and Raymond de Lucia (2). The exhibition staff also gave live demonstrations in conjunction with the exhibition (3, p. 24).

Highlights seen along the walkway (1):

*Introductory section with drawing board, blueprints, research notes, and other objects involved in the planning phase

*Replica stegosaurus accompanied by explanation of how replica bones are cast from original fossils

*A scale model of a bird's-eye-view of the city of Isfahan, Iran in the 17th century built for the Hall of Asian Peoples, which was then under construction

*A section explaining the casting method of taxidermy

*A section on the creation of foreground art in wildlife habitat groups

*Two sections on graphics and audio-visual devices used in exhibitions

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. "Exhibit Explains How Exhibits Are Mounted at American Museum of Natural History." October 10, 1975. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.

(2) Beals, Kathie. "Behind-scenes look at making of exhibit." Citizen-Register (Ossining, NY), November 28, 1975.

(3) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Reports. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1975-1976.

For more information on this exhibition see:

"A how-to show at Am. Museum." The Westsider (New York, NY), November 13, 1975.

"Exhibit's exhibit." The Trenton Times (Trenton, NJ), January 3, 1976.

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Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Exhibition.
Related department (1)

American Museum of Natural History. Gallery 77.
Location of exhibition 1975 October 10 – July 1976 (1)

Campbell, G.F.
Featured; Museum Department of Exhibition staff (2)

Cassidy, Martin W.
Featured; Museum Department of Exhibition staff (2)

DeLucia, Raymond H.
Featured; Museum Department of Exhibition staff (2)

Gardner, George S.
Curator of exhibition; Chairman of Department of Exhibition and Graphics (2)

Related Resources

American Museum of Natural History. Annual Reports. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1975-1976: 14, 24, 31.

American Museum of Natural History annual reports, 1902-2001.
"Annual Report from the Chairman of Exhibition and Graphics [1975-1976]." [1976].

American Museum of Natural History press releases, 1933-1990s.
Includes Calendar of Events October 1975, November 1975, March 1976

American Museum of Natural History Special Collections vertical files
Curated digital images of permanent halls in the American Museum of Natural History LibraryRepository: AMNH Special Collections [News articles]

[American Museum of Natural History temporary exhibitions posters]
Date of resource: [1975-2009]

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