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

American Museum of Natural History. Sanford Memorial Hall of the Biology of Birds; Biology of Bird Life; Hall of Biology of Birds; Biology of Birds; Hall of the Biology of Birds; Sanford Hall of Birds; Leonard C. Sanford Hall of Biology of Birds; Sanford Hall; Sanford Hall of the Biology of Birds; Sanford Bird Hall; Leonard C. Sanford Hall; Sanford Memorial Hall of Biology of Birds; Sanford Hall of Bird Biology; Sanford Memorial Hall of the Biology of Birds; Sanford Memorial Hall of Bird Biology; Sanford Memorial; Biology of Birds Hall; Biology of Birds (Sanford Memorial); Biology of Bird Life
birth: 1939
death: approximately 1993-1997
Permanent exhibition. Opened June 6, 1939 and closed approximately 1993-1997. Located on Floor 1, Section 19. The Sanford Memorial Hall of the Biology of Birds at the American Museum of Natural History was part of three ornithological halls in the Whitney Wing along with the Bird Art Gallery and the Whitney Memorial Hall of Oceanic Birds (1, 1939, p. 8-9). In contrast to the more aesthetically striking bird halls with habitat dioramas, the Biology of Birds Hall was intended to be more instructive and explanatory (2, 1953, p. 117). After its official opening, work on the hall continued steadily with W.P.A. assistance (1, 1941, p. 18). The hall was frequently updated throughout its existence.
Plans for the hall appeared as early as 1930 (1, 1930, p. 43). Although incomplete, the hall first opened on June 6, 1939 along with other halls in the Whitney Wing (1, 1939, p. 8-9). The hall had another formal opening on May 25, 1948 in which it was formally named for Dr. Leonard C. Sanford (1, 1948/49, p. 11).
The hall presented maps, diagrams, and photographs, illustrating birds’ anatomy, physiology, behavior, flight, feathers, nests, geographic distribution, migration, and relationship to humans. A synoptic display with representative specimens from over 140 bird families as well as displays of fossil birds including Diatryma and the giant moa were on view. The entrance featured a sunset scene in the Caribbean with flying flamingoes, spoonbills, scarlet ibises, and egrets (2, 1939, p. 85; 2, 1947, p. 88; 2, 1953, p. 117-118; 2, 1956, p. 127-128; 3, 1967; 4, 1972, p. 99).
The hall closed between 1993 and 1997. It appears in the 1993 Official Guide and in 1997, construction began on the Hall of Planet Earth, which occupies that space as of 2017 (5, 1993, p. 27; 1, 1997/98, p. 3).