Parr, Albert Eide, 1900-1991
Dates
- Existence: 1900-08-15 - 1991-07-17
Biography
Albert Eide Parr, an oceanographer and ichthyologist, was director of the American Museum of Natural History from 1942 to 1959. Parr was born in Bergen, Norway, went to sea during school and college vacations, studied zoology, and was appointed assistant in the Norway Bureau of Fisheries while an undergraduate. In 1926, Parr came to the United States, worked at the New York Aquarium, and in 1927 was invited by Harry Payne Bingham to serve as naturalist on an expedition to the Caribbean. The fishes collected, including over 100 new species, were eventually housed at Yale University, and the Bingham Oceanographic Laboratory was established with Parr as curator. More expeditions followed, offering Parr the opportunity to study the Sargasso Sea and chart the origins of the Gulf Stream. In 1931, Parr began a career at Yale, eventually becoming professor of oceanography, research associate at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and director of the Peabody Museum. During his term as director of the AMNH, Parr faced the need to retrench during wartime and contract the museum's research geographically. He focused on ecology and education, emphasizing the interrelationship of human beings and natural forces, and defining the museum's mission as attracting and maintaining the interest of the public. Parr was the first director of the AMNH to resign in order to pursue research, becoming senior scientist after fifteen years in administration. He founded and served as the managing editor of the journal published by the Sears Foundation for Marine Research, continued his work on classifying fishes and studying ocean currents, and lectured for the American Association of Museums and UNESCO. Parr died in 1991.
Citation:
Library of Congress Name Authority FileFrom biographical note for Parr's archive collection at the AMNH Library, Mss .P371-.P375, written by Schuyler Volz, 2012.
Topics
Found in 8 Collections and/or Records:
Albert E. Parr (1900-1991) / UR "Willard W. Cummings"
Portrait of Albert E. Parr, President of A.M.N.H. 1942-1959. Norwegian-American zoologist, oceanographer. Frame: Silver gilt wood, 49 1/2 x 44 1/2.
Frick Laboratory administrative and personnel records
This collection consists of Childs Frick correspondence. The majority of the papers consern his relationship with the American Museum of Natural History while running the Frick Laboratory as well as his role as museum Trustee.
There is also Frick's correspondence with other scientists and institutions that deals with both research in paleontology and Frick's financial support of their activities.
A very small number of letters are of personal nature.
William King Gregory papers, 1889-1948 (bulk 1906-1948)
American Museum of Natural History Hall of North American Forests notebook
Lerner Marine Laboratory papers
Albert Eide Parr papers
The collection contains a wide variety of documents pertaining to Albert E. Parr, particularly during his tenure as Museum Director (1942-1959). Additionally, the collection also hosts a large collection of his original publications, as well as an assortment of newspaper clippings, receipts, meeting minutes, drafts of speeches, and correspondence.
Trip through space ; Life in a garden ; Tuna fishermen
Additional filters:
- Subject
- Department Records 3
- Education -- Museums 2
- Ichthyologists -- United States -- Correspondence 2
- Manuscript Collection 2
- Animals -- Classification 1
- Art Survey 1
- Australia -- Description and travel. 1
- Bimini Islands (Bahamas) 1
- Botany 1
- City Planning 1
- Conservation 1
- Ecology 1
- Exhibitions 1
- Film Collection 1
- Fishes -- Anatomy. 1
- Fishes -- Evolution. 1
- Forests and forestry 1
- Fossils 1
- Garden ecology 1
- Interplanetary voyages 1
- Mammals -- Evolution. 1
- Marine biologists -- Bahamas -- Bimini Islands 1
- Marine biology -- Research -- Bahamas -- Bimini Islands 1
- Marine laboratories -- Bahamas -- Bimini Islands 1
- Moving Images 1
- Museum curators -- New York (State) -- New York -- Correspondence. 1
- Museum directors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Correspondence 1
- Museum techniques -- Periodicals 1
- Museums -- Administration -- Periodicals 1
- Natural history museum curators 1
- Natural history museum curators -- Correspondence 1
- Natural history museums -- New York (State) -- New York -- History 1
- Natural history museums -- Periodicals 1
- New Zealand -- Description and travel. 1
- Oceanographers -- United States -- Correspondence 1
- Oceanography -- Research -- Bahamas -- Bimini Islands 1
- Ontogeny. 1
- Paleontologists -- United States -- Correspondence 1
- Paleontology 1
- Paleontology -- Research -- History. 1
- Primates -- Evolution. 1
- Scientific expeditions -- Africa. 1
- Scientific expeditions -- Australia. 1
- Space flight 1
- Sun 1
- Transvaal (South Africa) -- Description and travel. 1
- Tuna fishing -- Italy -- Sicily 1
- Tuna industry -- Italy -- Sicily 1
- Vertebrates, Fossil 1 ∧ less
American Museum of Natural History
Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library
200 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024-5192