American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History. Hall of New York State Mammals.; Mammals of New York State; New York State Exhibits; New York State Mammals
birth: 1972
death: present
Permanent exhibition. Located on Floor 3, Section 7a. The Hall of New York State Mammals at the American Museum of Natural History introduces visitors to the diversity of local mammalian wildlife. Arranged in cased displays of discrete specimens, the hall presents a range of more than 50 land mammals—from shrews to bats, beavers to bobcats—and invites comparisons of their distinctive external features, such as fur, claws, ears, body shape, and size (1).
The exhibits in the Hall of New York State Mammals were originally part of the New York State Exhibits, which opened in 1939 and was located on the first floor of the Roosevelt Memorial. While on display in the Roosevelt Memorial, the mammals were displayed with New York region birds, insects, invertebrates, minerals, and reptiles and amphibians (2, 1953, p. 106). The mammal exhibits in the Roosevelt Memorial featured cutouts of whales and other sea animals as well as skins of moderately-sized local mammals (2, 1939, p. 113), the latter of which remained on display when the exhibit moved to the third floor in 1972 (3, 1971/72, p. 28). The Hall of New York State Mammals adjoins the Hall of New York City Birds (1).
The exhibits in the hall include (1):
*Skins of small and medium-sized mammals
*Skulls
*Mounted specimens
*Models
*Photographs
*Illustrations
Animals represented in the hall include (1):
*Raccoons
*Weasels
*Lynx
*Coyote
*White-tailed deer
*Squirrels
*Woodchucks
*Chipmunks
*Mice
*Porcupines
*Rabbits
*Skunks
This is a condensed summary of the exhibition. For additional information, see Sources and/or Related Resources.
1936New York State Exhibits opens with exhibits of New York City birds.
1939New York State Mammals added to New York State Exhibits.
1971New York State Exhibits closes.
1972Exhibits of local birds and mammals from the New York State Exhibits move to the third floor to become the Hall of New York City Birds and the New York State Mammals.