James L. Clark exhibitions visual resource files

The James L. Clark files were created and maintained from 1920 until 1955. The majority of these materials, however, date between 1920 and1940. The collection was used as a visual resource reference guide for the American Museum of Natural History staff in preparation for creating exhibits and dioramas or for quick visual reference. It features newspaper spreads, magazine clippings, prints, as well as drawings and letters, which were attached with glue to one or both sides of the file folder. The collection is organized into seven series: Series I: Ethnology Series II: Expeditions Series III: Earth Sciences Series IV: Archaeology Series V: Museum Preparations Series VI: The Animal Kingdom Subseries I: Mammals Subseries II: Herpetology Subseries III: Invertebrates Subseries IV: Birds Subseries V: Fish Series VII: The Plant Kingdom Series VIII: Miscellaneous Clippings --------------------------------- Series XI: James L. Clark Negatives (Working Files & Visual Resource Finding Aids). [Note: See James L. Clark Exhibitions Working Files Finding Aid, Series XI, Box 22*, to locate negatives from the James L. Clark Visual Resource Collection.]

The Ethnology series contains clippings and photographs pertaining to the Ethnology studies of James L. Clark. The series is organized geographically and the bulk of the materials are on Africa, North American Indians, and the South Seas.

The Expeditions series contains picture clippings, newspaper spreads, and magazine articles documenting various expeditions, many of which were funded and executed through the American Museum of Natural History. The series is organized geographically.

The Earth Sciences series contains picture clippings, newspaper spreads, and magazine articles pertaining to Geology, Meteorology, and Astronomy.

The Archaeology series contains picture clippings, newspaper spreads, and magazine articles documenting various archaeological sites throughout the world. The series is organized geographically.

The Museum Preparations series contains picture and article clippings from newspapers and magazines, photographic prints, and letters used to document the research and progression of exhibit creation at American Museum of Natural History. The majority of the materials feature images used for restoration and paleontology fossils used to create and maintain dioramas at the museum.

The Animal Kingdom series contains clippings from newspapers and magazines describing various members of the animal kingdom. This series is divided into five Sub Series: Mammals, Herpetology, Invertebrates, and Birds.

The Miscellaneous Clippings series contains clippings from newspapers and magazines, which were separated and placed in folders in preparation for their addition to the visual resource, file folder system used throughout the other series of this collection. The clippings’ subject primarily fit within the Animal Kingdom, but also relate to earth science and ethnology themes.