Derived dynamically from EAC-CPF in xEAC.
The Synoptic or Invertebrate Zoology Hall, as it was then known, also contained exhibits of vertebrates such as fishes and reptiles. With the opening of the East Mammal Hall and the North Corridor in 1906, it was possible to move those collections into more appropriate halls (1, 1906, p. 22). In 1912 the sections of the giant sequoia (an iconic exhibit also known as the Big Tree) and red wood trees were transferred from the Darwin Hall to the Forestry Hall (1, 1911, p. 30; 1, 1912, p. 33). With the opening of the Hall of Fishes and the Hall of Ocean Life, it was decided to render the three adjoining halls with the same color scheme, suggestive of sea tones (1, 1925, p. 23).
The Darwin Hall was known for its models of invertebrates, many of them glass, which included clam, oyster, common squid by L.W. Williams, and malarial mosquitos by B.E. Dahlgren, one of which is on display in the Hall of North American Forests as of 2017. Other exhibits included a case with coral, specimens of giant lobsters and crab, which may be the same lobster and crab later exhibited in the Hall of Living Invertebrates (2, 1911, p. 29-32; 2, 1919, p. 31-32; 3). The Darwin Hall featured the Tree of Life, a family tree of the animal kingdom with each class of animal represented by a color sketch and a bust of Charles Darwin by William Couper presented to the Museum by the New York Academy of Sciences on the Darwin centenary (2, 1928, p. 35).
The hall also featured a synoptic series of alcoves, which showcased examples of various groups or orders included in the classes of the Tree of Life and window or habitat groups, both of which moved to the Hall of Ocean Life after the closure of the Darwin Hall (2, 1953, p. 75-82). The complete list of the synoptic series and habitat groups was as follows:
Synoptic Series:
Alcove 1: Protozoa
Alcove 2: Sponges
Alcove 3: Polyps
Alcove 4: Flatworms
Alcove 5: Roundworms
Alcove 6: Rotifers
Alcove 7: Sea-Mats and Lamp-Shells
Alcove 8: Sea-Stars and Their Relatives
Alcove 9: Annulates
Alcove 10: Arthropods
Alcove 11: Mollusks
Alcove 12: Chordates, including Vertebrates
Habitat Groups:
Marine Worm Group
Shore Mollusk Group
Wharf Pile Group
Rock Tide-Pool Group
Sound Bottom Group
Bryozoa Group
Rotifer Group (2, 1949, p. 56-60)
The hall closed between 1950 and 1952 to make way for the new Hall of North American Forests.
Scientific artist who did field studies for Annulate Group (1, 1929, p. 60)
Artist who sculpted bust of Darwin, which was presented by New York Academy of Sciences (2, 1928, p. 35).
Curator, Invertebrate Zoology (1, 1913, 63)
Assistant curator and artist, created malarial mosquito model (1, 1906, p. 22).
Artist for exhibits in hall, (2, 1917, p. 70)
Curator and artist for exhibits in hall, including Nahant Tide Pool Group (1, 1913 p. 63).
Artist for glass invertebrate models in hall (1, 1913, p. 63).
Reseach Associate, Invertebrate Zoology, worked on Rotifer Group (1, 1920, p.75).
Artist for exhibits in hall (1, 1917, p. 70)
Worked on Nahant Tide Pool Group (1, 1913, p. 63)
Assisted Chris E. Olsen for exhibit of Color Variation in a West Indian Sun Shell (1, 1936, p. 9).
Artist for common squid model (1, 1906, p. 22).