natural history museum nyc

natural history museum nyc

Exploring the Natural History Museum in NYC: A Comprehensive Guide

1. Introduction to the Natural History Museum

The Rose Center is another part of the museum and focuses on space, the Universe, and Earth. You could argue that this unique subset is even better than the comprehensive museum with its unique shape and structure. Adjacent gardens on the side and the planetarium with striking displays also add to the allure. The museum building is quite large and could be a trip in itself. One upside of this museum is that you could come back as often as you like with just one paid entry. I often come to just walk around the building or pass by Central Park.

The American Museum of Natural History in New York City is among the world’s most famous museums with the largest collection of treasures on display. It’s easy to spend the entire day exploring this museum and still not see all of the displays on view. The main museum has various exhibits about humans, creatures, planets, and even some art. I found the halls of stuffed animals and skeletons more enjoyable than the artistic section.

2. History and Architecture of the Museum

At the same time, the opening of the museum to the public went largely unnoticed by most New Yorkers, with the exception of people working in the area, until the official opening night. At the time, access to the collection was reached by a single entrance. The date of the opening was a private affair with a series of important people rather than a public display. At this time, only the exhibition halls in the public space near the entrance were blocked, and there was no audience to be found. All of the exhibition space, except the Photographic Salon, was taken up during the lecture day.

The museum was founded in 1869, and the original plans for the new premises were exhibited in the rotunda in 1872. Temporary quarters were hastily arranged for the Scientific School, the Library, Civil Service Companions Company, and other departments until February 1875 when the museum finally opened to the public. Access to the new museum was not the tourist attraction it is today, but a season ticket for eighteen lectures came with unlimited access to the collection, including the museum’s books and courses. No age or background was necessary to visit the museum collection, even during the opening months of December and January when lectures, exhibitions, and activities were offered.

The very first home of the museum was the estate of a famous naturalist called Dr. John David Wolfe, located in Manhattan on the Upper East Side. In July 1869, the area was known as Manhattan Square, and it was originally reserved for the construction of Central Park. However, this documented agreement was challenged, and successful arguments were made to allow the construction of the museum. The park commissioners were inclined to support the interest of education expressed in the museum’s charter. By late May 1871, the cornerstone for the museum was set, in addition to a hoarding with an example of the treasures that would be housed there. At the time, Manhattan Square was all dirt, but the buildings were used for instrumental purposes, and some rooms were occupied under medical purposes. The entire neighborhood was an undisturbed section of the Upper West Side before the museum broke ground.

The museum, as we know it today, is actually the third such building to house the collection and is by far the largest. The first structure, 1877-1881, has a fascinating history that is deeply intertwined with the City of New York. The seeds of the museum can be traced back to the end of the 18th century, but it was not officially founded until April 1869, inspired by an elite group of businessmen who became known as the “Romer” administration. John David Wolfe, the inaugural president, and his colleagues spearheaded the formal organization that was chartered by the New York State Legislature.

3. Key Exhibits and Galleries

The Halls of Advanced Mammals, located on the second floor, showcase some of the quintessential mammals such as elephants, horses, and whales. The Hall of Reptiles and Amphibians on the third floor houses exhibits including live frogs and geckos, as well as skeletons of lizards and snakes. For a change of pace, the Hall of Biodiversity, containing a vivid 3-D representation of the tree of life, simulating a walk through a rainforest, and recounting the six mass extinctions, is worth a visit even if just to bask in the amazement felt when seeing the interconnectedness of life. A lot of thought and care went into crafting dioramas to keep audiences engaged in this subject matter.

The museum’s fourth floor is devoted to the vertebrate paleontology division and is called the Hall of Vertebrate Origins. This exhibit is extremely comprehensive and, besides showcasing a wealth of fossils from thousands of years ago, features up-to-date scientific studies offering insight into who lived there and what their environment was like. This is a thorough overview of the evolution from fish to animals walking on land.

4. Educational Programs and Research Initiatives

The museum has two active research initiatives: the Harbor Research Group (focusing on Hudson-Raritan Estuary problems) and the Norm Bloom Shellers Foram Microdredging Project in the Long Island Sound (“Forams” are foraminifera, a group of single-celled organisms which build, after death, a shell made of and containing marine sediments). Both projects update the public as to their activities on their websites. The museum contains hands-on and interactive exhibits and more than 32 million specimens from around the world, many of which are irreplaceable and unique and represent the natural history of the planet and its people. All of the museum’s collections are research materials used by scientists daily to document life on Earth.

The museum offers a program, the Science and Education Internship, whose goal is to provide motivated high school students with hands-on experience linking science and education in informal science settings. Interns work with the museum’s educators to develop and deliver fun, interactive activities to stimulate visitors’ fascination with the collection material and with the science behind this material. If you are one of those people who often heads home after visiting the museum wishing you could spend more time talking with the interesting educators there, you may be Sea Grant’s “Type B” Newsroom Writer, someone who would enjoy writing articles, taking photos, and working with educators to stay in touch with the newsworthy happenings at the NYSHS.

5. Visitor Information and Tips

Opening hours The American Museum of Natural History is open weekdays from 10 am and on weekends from 10 am to 5:45 pm. The museum is usually open every day of the year, except the fourth Thursday in November and December 25th. Entry to the main part of the building ends at 5:15 pm. It is always best to check the exact timings close to your visit, so please click here for current timings and information. Be aware that different entrances have slightly different opening times.

Location The easiest way to reach the museum is to take the subway to either 81st Street-Museum of Natural History or 79th Street station. Both are located in close proximity to the museum and its two main entrances. The museum is located on Central Park West. The American Museum of Natural History is the largest natural history museum in the world and is situated in Theodore Roosevelt Park. There are 30 interconnected buildings containing 46 exhibition halls, a planetarium, and a library that consist of a total of 1,000,000 square feet of space suitable for exhibition. To get to the main building’s four floors of interesting exhibits, you will need to wear out some shoe leather.