Hall of Public Health

Dates

• Existence: 1913 - approximately 1943-1945

Historical Note

Abstract:

Permanent exhibition. Opened on April 16, 1913 and closed approximately 1943-1945. Located on Floor 3, Section 12a, before it was dismantled. Prior to that, the hall was located on Floor 3, West Corridor from 1913-1926. The hall moved from its original location and became part of the School Service Wing in 1926 occupying Floor 1, Section 11 from 1926-1933 and Floor 1, Section 15 from 1934-1936. The Hall of Public Health at the American Museum of Natural History was curated by the Department of Public Health. The exhibits covered issues in public health, including insect borne-diseases, sanitation, food, and water. Curators included Thomas G. Hull, Mary Grieg, and Charles-Edward Amory Winslow of the Department of Public Health. Ignaz Matausch, B.E. Dahlgren, L.V. Coleman, E.K. Dunham, and Otto Block from the Department of Exhibition and Preparation created models and drawings. A house-fly model by Matausch was a gift of Walter B. James (1, 1913, p.72; 1, 1916, p. 91; 1, 1926, p. 105).

Chronology:

Locations in the Museum

1913-1926

Located on Floor 3, West Corridor

1926-1933

Temporarily located on Floor 1, Section 11, then known as the School Service Building

1934-1936

Temporarily located on Floor 1, Section 15, then known as the West Central Wing of the School Service Wing

1939-1943

Located on Floor 3, Section 12a

Summary

The Hall of Public Health was considered one of the most practical education halls in the Museum and was popular among schools to supplement classroom work (1, 1934, p. 9). The hall featured exhibits on public health and disease, water supply, food supply and economics, waste disposal, bacteria, insects and insect-borne diseases, sanitation, vital resistance, "practical data for housewives," vitamins, and disease control. The exhibits were presented through models, charts, diagrams, photographs, paintings, and illustrations (2, 1913, p. 73; 2, 1928, p. 11-13; 2, 1936, p. 13; 1, 1916, p. 90-91). In response to the United States’ entrance into World War I, exhibits were created on military hygiene, camp sanitation, and how the military protects personnel from disease (1, 1917, p. 95). Notable exhibits included several enlarged models of insects, including those of house-fly, flea, and yellow fever and malarial mosquitoes (1, p. 73). From the opening of the hall to about 1926, the Museum’ display of Audubonia was in the staircase (5, p. 76) and a bust of Louis Pasteur was installed in 1914 (1, 1914, p. 38). Pamphlets on insect-borne diseases and other public health issues were provided for visitors to the hall (2, 1914, p. 80).

From 1926 to 1939, the Hall of Public Health was housed in the School Service Wing, a five-story building, which in addition to the Public Health Hall (now considered a part of a broader Education Hall), included a dividable lecture hall, classrooms, nature room models, a teachers' reference room, and accommodations for the visually-impaired. The Education Hall was also used for special gatherings and temporary exhibits (2, 1931, p. 50).

REFERENCES

(1) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Reports. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1913-1934.

(2) American Museum of Natural History. General Guide to the Exhibition Halls of the American Museum of Natural History. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1913-1936.

Information for the hall appears in the following Museum publications:

American Museum of Natural History Annual Reports for years 1913 (page 72); 1914 (page 38); 1915 (page 52); 1916 (page 90); 1917 (page 47, 95); 1918 (page 53, 93); 1934 (page 9); 1935 (page 12); 1936 (page 13); 1939 (page 8)

American Museum of Natural History General Guides for years 1913 (page 73); 1914 (page 80); 1916 (page 85); 1918 (Table of Contents, page 79); 1919 (Table of Contents, page 80); 1920 (page 80); 1921 (Table of Contents, page 80); 1922 (Table of Contents, page 80); 1923 (Table of Contents, page 80); 1926 (page 20, 38); 1927 (page 37); 1928 (Table of Contents, page 11, 12); 1929 (page 11); 1930 (Table of Contents, page 11, 12); 1931 (Table of Contents, page 50, 51); 1932 (Table of Contents, page 50, 51); 1933 (Table of Contents, page 52, 53); 1934 (Table of Contents, page 41); 1935 (Table of Contents, page 41); 1936 (Table of Contents, page 41); 1939 (page 169); 1943 (page 18, 174)

Alternative Name Forms

Outline:

• Uncontrolled name from AMNH publications (dates of use by year)
• Public Health (1913, 1914, 1916, 1918, 1919, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933)
• Hall of Public Health (1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1926, 1939)
• Public Health Hall (1917, 1935)
• Public Health: Water Supply, Insects and Disease (1918, 1919, 1921, 1922, 1923)
• Food Economics (1928, 1930, 1934, 1935, 1936)
• Food Needs and Food Economics (1928, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933)
• Hall of Biological Principles and Applied Biology (1934, 1935, 1936, 1939, 1943)
• Hall of Biology and Public Health (1934, 1935)
• Public Health Exhibits (1943)
• Public Health. Food (1928, 1930)
• Public Health. Water Supply (1928, 1930)
• Public Health: Food, Water Supply (1931, 1932, 1933)

Places

• New York (N.Y.)
  • Note: AMNH: Floor 3, Section 12a. See chronology for previous locations in the museum.

Topics

• AMNH Permanent Exhibitions

Found in 1 Collection or Record: