Petersen, George E.

Dates

• Existence: 1905 - 1991

Summary

George Petersen was hired by the American Museum of Natural History in 1933 to create plant reproductions for the Akeley Hall of African Mammals. He also participated in the Whitney South Sea Expeditions and worked on the installation of the Whitney Memorial Hall of Pacific Birds from 1940-1943. Petersen worked on a number of halls in the Museum, including the Hall of North American Mammals, Hall of North American Forests, and the Hall of African Peoples. His 1958 article in Curator magazine on the fabrication of botanical models for museum display is considered the definitive examination on the subject. He retired in 1973. Prior to working at AMNH, Petersen specialized in collecting and fabricating botanical models at the Field Museum in Chicago (1924-1933).

Sources include Stephen C. Quinn's book, Windows on Nature (2006).

Topics

• AMNH People