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Since its opening in 1936, the Akeley Hall of African Mammals has been considered one of the world's greatest museum displays. The hall is named after Carl Akeley (1864-1926), the explorer, conservationist, taxidermist, sculptor, and photographer who... read more
This hall's dioramas represent the bird life of the far-flung islands of the Pacific. These islands are geologically diverse, ranging from low coral to high mountains. One of the dioramas represents the bird population of the Guano Islands, named aft... read more
Amphibians were the first vertebrates to live on land. From them evolved reptiles, which in turn gave rise to mammals and birds. This hall reviews the relationships, life histories, habits, behavior, and various adaptations of the coldblooded vertebr... read more
Although some bird species cross the boundaries of oceans and mountains and a few are found worldwide, each area of the world has its indigenous birds. The Birds of the World Hall shows some major faunal areas and their characteristic birds. Its purp... read more
The Hall of North American Birds is named for Frank M. Chapman (1864-1945), the Museum's renowned ornithologist. Under the direction of Chapman, a leader in the study of bird speciation and distribution in the Western Hemisphere, the Museum's bird co... read more
This hall exploring the ecology of North American forests features a piece of a giant sequoia tree. The sequoia, which was cut down in 1891, had survived for more than 1,300 years and its full height exceeded 300 feet. Around the central point of the... read more
The primate order, one of the many subdivisions of mammals, includes monkeys, apes, and humans. This hall provides an overview of primates through skeletons, mounted specimens, and artwork. The order is broken down into families, in displays that tra... read more
This hall chronicles the development of New York State's natural landscape over time. It describes the geological history from Precambrian times (2 billion years ago) to the present day, including glaciation, and displays of local fossils showing tha... read more
These halls contain exquisite treasures, which can be systematically arranged according to their similarities and differences in the same manner as animals and plants. In the Hall of Minerals the visitor finds minerals composed of a single element, s... read more
This hall is a tribute to Theodore Roosevelt (1858—1919), and the contributions he made to city, state, and nation through the many roles he played during his life. Born in New York City and raised in Oyster Bay, Long Island, Roosevelt became involve... read more
Enjoy new adventures in the rainforest and join Diego on a series of high-stakes animal rescue missions. Help get ready for a party and join in a fabulous fiesta at Dora’s house!
Feed alphabet letters to a talking baby dragon, drive a New York City fire truck, paint on a six-foot art wall, make your way through a crawling challenge course, and connect an air tube puzzle. PlayWorks™ is an immersive, child-sized environment tha... read more
A spectacular new Space Show, Journey to the Stars, narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg, premiered on Saturday, July 4, 2009, in the Hayden Planetarium at the Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Center for Earth and Space. ... read more
The newly opened Anne and Bernard Spitzer Hall of Human Origins presents the remarkable history of human evolution from our earliest ancestors millions of years ago to modern Homo sapiens. The innovative Spitzer Hall combines the most up-to-date disc... read more
Renowned for their colorful iridescence, opals’ unique internal structure creates their colors by scattering light. Opal gemstones used in jewelry are relatively soft and fragile; they need protection from scratching, bumping, and abrupt temperature ... read more
A two-foot-long slice from a jadeite jade boulder provides a spectacular window into the dramatic process that formed this highly prized type of jade. This jadeite started as a small vein, or fracture, over 12 miles underground that was wrenched apar... read more
The Museum's habitat group dioramas, located extensively throughout its halls, are among the most renowned and beloved exhibits at the Museum. With precise depictions of geographical locations and the careful, anatomically correct mounting of specime... read more
One of the premier attractions in New York City is the Museum's series of fossil halls, including its two famed dinosaur halls. The Museum is home to the world's largest collection of vertebrate fossils, totaling nearly one million specimens. More th... read more
The Hall of Biodiversity is a groundbreaking exhibition devoted to what many scientists believe is the most pressing environmental issue of our time: the need to protect and preserve our planet's biodiversity, the variety and interdependence of Earth... read more
The Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites features a circular layout centered around a massive 34-ton iron meteorite fragment called Ahnighito. For thousands of years, people have been fascinated by streaks of light flashing across the night sky. These ... read more