Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease (Exhibition)

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Exist Dates

1999 February 27 - 1999 September 6

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract
Exhibition. Opened February 27, 1999 – September 6, 1999. Located in Section 3, Floor 3 in Gallery 3 at the American Museum of Natural History. Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease focused on the importance of understanding the global nature of infectious disease.

Summary

Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease explored the biological and ecological factors that influence the causes, spread, and control of infectious disease, and investigated the ways in which different cultures deal with deadly diseases. The exhibition was organized by Rob DeSalle, associate curator in the Museum’s Department of Entomology and co-director of the Museum’s molecular laboratories. It was sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund (1, p. 1-2).

Epidemic! used dioramas, three-dimensional models, videos, films, interactive computer stations, photographs, and comprehensive wall text. It covered the specific diseases of AIDS, Ebola, flu, hantavirus, Lyme disease, malaria, tuberculosis, and the illness caused by E. coli 0157:H7 (1, p. 3).

The exhibition was divided into sections (1, p. 3-5):

*Prologue

*Environmental Change

*It’s a Small World: Microbes and Others

*The Study of Microbes

*Infection

*Outbreak

*Epidemic/Pandemic

*Taking Action

Highlights (1, p. 3-6):

*An interactive computer game pitting infectious diseases against the human immune system

*Diorama of a “high containment” laboratory

*Wentzscopes, which allowed visitors to view microbes as scientists do

*An animated project which followed a flu microbe

*A model of a bow of a ship with rats running down its hawsers, showing the spread of plague in 14th century Venice

*A water pump which demonstrated how cholera infected 19th century London

*Air-conditioning ducts which symbolized Legionnaire’s Disease

*A panel from the AIDS Quilt

*Resource Center, which featured the exhibition’s page on the Museum website, a library of reference works, and take-away brochures from the New York City Department of Health, the World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The exhibition was designed and executed by the Museum’s Department of Exhibition under the direction of vice president of Exhibition, David Harvey. The exhibition was developed by Robert Vinci, the content coordinator was Marla Jo Brickman, the exhibition designer was Larry Langham, the lighting designer was David Clinard, and the graphics designer was Jayne Hertko. Other members of the exhibition department who worked on the exhibition were Barret Klein, Sean Murtha, Tony Rogers, and Alan Walker (1, p. 6; 2 p. 28; 3).

The Museum’s Department of Education developed special programs in conjunction with the exhibition. A companion book to the exhibition was published in July 1999 (1, p. 6).

An advisory committee for the exhibition included Jeremiah A. Barondess, M.D., President, New York Academy of Medicine; Barry Bloom, Ph.D., Dean, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University; Dani Bolognesi, Ph.D., Director, Centers for AIDS Research, Duke University Medical Center; David Brandling-Bennett, M.D., Deputy Director, Pan American Health Organization; Richard J. Colonno, Ph.D., Vice President, Infectious Diseases Drug Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Veena Das, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, University of Delhi; Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health; Laurie A. Garrett, Medical and Science Writer, Newsday; Anne Gershon, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics/Infectious Diseases, Columbia University of Physicians and Surgeons; Paul Greenough, Ph.D., Professor of History, University of Iowa; Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, United States Department of Health and Human Services; Samuel Katz, M.D., Wilburt C. Davidson Professor of Pediatrics, Duke University of Medicine; Mathilde Krim, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board, American Foundation for AIDS Research; Joshua Lederberg, Ph.D., Sackler Foundation Scholar, The Rockefeller University; Joseph Edward McDade, Ph.D., Deputy Director, National Center for Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Anne Platt McGinn, Research Associate, WorldWatch Institute; Alvin Novick, M.D., Professor of Evolutionary and Ecological Biology, Yale University; Robert E. Shope, M.D., Professor, Center for Tropical Disease, The University of Texas Medical Branch; Burton Singer, Ph.D., Professor, Office of Population Research, Princeton University; Bonnie Lee Smoak, M.D., Ph.D., Lieutenant Colonel, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; Andrew Spielman, Sc.D., Professor of Tropical Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University; Louis Sullivan, M.D., President, Morehouse School of Medicine; Mary E. Wilson, M.D., Chief Infectious Diseases, Mount Auburn Hospital (4).

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. "Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease February 27—September 6, 1999." February 1999. 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, 1998-1999.
    (3) American Museum of Natural History. Photo Studio. Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease exhibition photographic slides, 1999. [library catalog record]
    (4) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "Advisory Committee for Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease." [1999]. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.

Terms

place
New YorkExternal link
AMNH: Section 3, Floor 3

Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Education.
Developed related programming (1, p. 6)
American Museum of Natural History. Department of Exhibition.
Designed and executed exhibition (1, p. 6)
American Museum of Natural History. Gallery 3.
Location of exhibition 1999 February 27 – 1999 September 6 (1)
Barondess, Jeremiah A., 1924-External link
Advisory Committee; President, New York Academy of Medicine (4)
Bloom, Barry R., 1937-External link
Advisory Committee; Dean, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University (4)
Bolognesi, Dani
Advisory Committee; Director, Centers for AIDS Research, Duke University Medical Center (4)
Brandling-Bennett, David
Advisory Committee; Deputy Director, Pan American Health Organization (4)
Brickman, Marla Jo
Exhibition content coordinator; Museum Department of Exhibition (1, p. 6)
Bristol-Myers Squibb CompanyExternal link
Sponsor of exhibition (1)
Clinard, David
Exhibition lighting designer; Museum Department of Exhibition (1, p. 6)
Colonno, Richard J.
Advisory Committee; Infectious Diseases Drug Discovery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (4)
Das, VeenaExternal link
Advisory Committee; Professor of Sociology, University of Delhi (4)
DeSalle, Rob
Curator of exhibition (1)
Fauci, Anthony S., 1940-External link
Advisory Committee; Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (4)
Garrett, LaurieExternal link
Advisory Committee; Medical and Science Writer, Newsday (4)
Gershon, Anne A.External link
Advisory Committee; Professor of Pediatrics/Infectious Diseases, Columbia University of Physicians and Surgeons (4)
Greenough, Paul R. (Paul Robert)External link
Advisory Committee; Professor of History, University of Iowa (4)
Hamburg, Margaret A.External link
Advisory Committee; Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, United States Department of Health and Human Services (4)
Harvey, David 1950-
Exhibition designed and executed under his direction; vice president, Museum Department of Exhibition (1, p. 6)
Hertko, Jayne
Exhibition graphics designer; Museum Department of Exhibition (1, p. 6)
Katz, Samuel L., 1927-External link
Advisory Committee; Wilburt C. Davidson Professor of Pediatrics, Duke University of Medicine (4)
Klein, Barrett
Exhibition preparator; Museum Department of Exhibition (1, p. 6; 2 p. 28; 3)
Krim, MathildeExternal link
Advisory Committee; Chairman of the Board, American Foundation for AIDS Research (4)
Langham, Larry
Exhibition designer; Museum Department of Exhibition (1, p. 6)
Lederberg, JoshuaExternal link
Advisory Committee; Sackler Foundation Scholar, The Rockefeller University (4)
Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund
Sponsor of exhibition (1)
McDade, Joseph Edward
Advisory Committee; Deputy Director, National Center for Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (4)
McGinn, Anne PlattExternal link
Advisory Committee; Research Associate, WorldWatch Institute (4)
Murtha, Sean
Exhibition preparator; Museum Department of Exhibition (3)
Novick, Alvin, 1925-External link
Advisory Committee; Professor of Evolutionary and Ecological Biology, Yale University (4)
Rogers, Tony
Exhibition preparator; Museum Department of Exhibition (3)
Shope, Robert E.External link
Advisory Committee; Professor, Center for Tropical Disease, The University of Texas Medical Branch (4)
Singer, BurtonExternal link
Advisory Committee; Professor, Office of Population Research, Princeton University (4)
Smoak, Bonnie Lee
Advisory Committee; Lieutenant Colonel, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (4)
Spielman, A. (Andrew)External link
Advisory Committee; Professor of Tropical Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University (4)
Sullivan, Louis Wade, 1933-External link
Advisory Committee; President, Morehouse School of Medicine (4)
Vinci, Robert
Exhibition developer; Museum Department of Exhibition (1, p. 6)
Walker, Alan 
Exhibition preparator; Museum Department of Exhibition (3)
Wilson, Mary E.External link
Advisory Committee; Chief Infectious Diseases, Mount Auburn Hospital (4)

Related Resources

American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1998-1999.
Pages 1, 6, 9, 21-23, 28, 31, 38, 41, 74.
American Museum of Natural History photographic drawers
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [Color contact sheets of exhibition installation and on view, color photo prints of public health posters]
American Museum of Natural History press releases, 1933-1990s, DR 101
“Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease February 27—September 6, 1999.” February 1999; “Media Alert.” February 1999; “Fact Sheet.” February 1999; “Biography: Rob DeSalle, Organizer of Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease.” February 1999; “Glossary: Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease February 27—September 6, 1999.” [1999]; “Special Lectures in Conjunction with Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease.” February 1999; “Conference AIDS as Global Pandemic: Building Bridges.” February 1999; “Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease Web Projects.” February 1999; “Advisory Committee for Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease.” [1999]
American Museum of Natural History Special Collections vertical files
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [Exhibition brochures; exhibition postcard; flyers and invitations to lectures; Margaret Mead Film Festival: Microbes in the Movies schedule; brochures and schedules for related programming; exhibition guide; exhibition teacher’s guides; news articles; print-outs from “Epidemic! On the Trail of Killer Disease” from Discovery.com; comic: “Decision/La Decision” by NYC Department of Health; children’s magazine (AMNH): “Infection, Detection, Protection”]
subjectOf
[Blueprints for the exhibition Epidemic!, the world of infectious disease] [technical drawing]
Date of resource: [1998?]; 2 technical drawings : blueprint ; 60 x 76 cm. or smaller; RF-FF-12
Breathing lessons [videorecording]
Date of resource: 1996; 1 videocassette (35 min.); MM-390
Coppermine [videorecording]
Date of resource: 1992; 1 videocassette (55 min.); MM-386
Don't run, Johnny [videorecordsing] / produced under personal supervision of Bugsby Pictures ; Tom E. Brown presents ; original story written and directed by Tom E. Brown ; executive producers, John Popper, Steven Hughes ; produced by Tom E. Brown, David Novak.
Date of resource: 1996; 1 videorecording (7 min.) : sd., b&w ; 1/2 in.; MM-267
subjectOf
Epidemic! : the world of infectious disease / Rob DeSalle, editor; [foreword by Ellen V. Futter].
Date of resource: 1999; RA651 .E596 1999
subjectOf
Epidemic : the world of infectious disease. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.
Date of resource: 1998-2006; 30 Videorecordings : 2 Mini DV, 26 Beta SP, 2 DVD, 3 Electronic Resources : 1 CD-ROM, 1 Jaz disc, 1 CD, 3 Sound Recordings : 2 DAT, 1 CD; Identifier: EXH.029
subjectOf
Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease exhibition photographic slides. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.
Date of resource: 1999; 1.25 Linear Feet (3 boxes ), 867 Photographic Slides : color ; 35 mm; Identifier: PSC 623, 657-658
Everybody's business [videorecording]
Date of resource: 1993; 1 videocassette (15 min.), Betacam SP (copy 1), U-matic (copy 2), For VHS format, see MM-391.; MM-389
Images of HIV/AIDS around the world [videorecording] / Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention, Health Promotion Resource Center.
Date of resource: 1994; 1 videocassette (23 min.) : sd., col. ; 1/2 in.; MM-380
Infection, detection, protection / [written by Jordan Brown].
Date of resource: 1999; RA653.5 .B76 1999/73-C
Help stop AIDS [videorecording]
Date of resource: 1989; 1 videocassette (17 min.), Betacam SP (copy 1), U-matic (copy 2); MM-393
Let my people live [videorecording]
Date of resource: 1938; 1 videocassette (14 min.); MM-383
subjectOf
Photographic slides of New York City street crowds for the American Museum of Natural History temporary exhibition Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease, 1998. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.
0.5 Linear Feet (1 box ) 189 Photographic Slides : color ; 35 mm; Identifier: PSC 584A
Rapid treatment center [videorecording]; Know for sure; To the people of the U.S.
Date of resource: [194-]; 1 videocassette (62 min.); MM-437
Rotunda.
“Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease.” (January 1999)
Rubber gloves [videorecording]
Date of resource: 1998; 1 videocassette (7 min.); MM-388
Secret people [videorecording] : the naked face of leprosy in America.
Date of resource: 1999; 1 videocassette (59 min.) : sd., col. ; 1/2 in. Master.; MM-381
Socialism eller döden [videorecording] = Socialism or death.
Date of resource: 1995; 1 videocassette (48 min.); Betacam/SP (copy 1), VHS (copies 2-3).; MM-363
Target TB [videorecording]
Date of resource: 1950; 1 videocassette (15 min.); MM-384
The adventures of Cuz Congress [videorecording]
Date of resource: 1991; 1 videocassette (15 min.); MM-387
The plague monkeys [videorecording]
CDate of resource: 1995; 1 videocassette (52 min.); MM-436
The satan bug [videorecording]
Date of resource: 1965; 1 videocassette (114 min.); MM-435
The Sardinian project [videorecording]
Date of resource: 1948; 1 videocassette (35 min.) U-Matic; MM-385
Unhooking the hookworm [videorecording]
Date of resource: 1920; 1 videocassette (11 min.), U-Matic (copy 1), VHS (copy 2); MM-382

Written by: Clare O'Dowd
Last modified: 2018 November 21


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