American Museum of Natural History | Akeley Hall of African Mammals

January 14, 2015

Visiting the dioramas hits me on 3 levels — it allows me to imagine that I am in the African savanna, it brings back the wonder I felt visiting this museum as a kid, and it also gives insight into the role of museums in the early 20th century.

The exhibit consists of group of elephants in the center of the room, surrounded by 2 levels of habitat dioramas, 28 in all. Each features large mammals, though birds, flora and insects are also included. The dioramas were completed between the 1920’s and the early 1940s.

The dioramas seamlessly combine 3d and 2d elements — taxidermy and dried plants with expertly painted backgrounds, which are curved to give the illusion of endlessness. In fact in photographs it is sometimes hard to tell where the physical elements, plants and grasses end and the painting starts. These are beautifully created, with attention given to every detail of the dirt and each hair of the animals’ fur.

This exhibit were created before TV, computers or easy travel. There were no nature documentaries, in fact, color photography was not prevalent, so this was the most authentic experience of animals in Africa most New Yorkers could have. The naturalistic presentation of the animals in their habitat was an exciting new idea at the time. In some exhibits the animals look out as if the visitor has startled them, other exhibits invite you to peak around corers to see a small bird or a zebra family. This was the “virtual reality” of the day — as realistic and immersive as it got.  While today, we would never hunt wild animals for a museum, we appreciate this exhibit as a time capsule from an era where the greatest preservationists were also the greatest trophy hunters (Theodore Roosevelt and his son each killed one of the elephants in the central grouping).