Friday, July 31st, 2009

The Art of the Natural History Museum

No guesswork is allowed in museum art: scientists review everything from the color and texture of the tree bark to the facial expression of the animals in dioramas. Go behind the scenes at the American Museum of Natural History with artist Steve Quinn to see what is involved in creating an exhibition. (Credits: Shot and produced by Erik Ortlip. Additional images courtesy of The American Museum of Natural History.) See More Videos

How best to display the natural world in a decidedly unnatural location? In natural history museums around the world, art and science intersect in the design of dioramas and other exhibits. Seemingly trivial elements, from the angle of the lighting to the color of the rock lying on the ground, are the product of extensive research and study. We'll talk with some of the artists and scientists involved.

Guests

Stephen Quinn
Senior Projects Manager
American Museum of Natural History
New York, New York

John Gurche
Paleo-Artist
Trumansburg, New York

Rick Potts
Paleoanthropologist
Director of Human Origins Program
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution, USA
Washington D.C.

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Segment produced by:Laura Pelcher

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Image: Diorama of Ellesmere Island, American Museum of Natural History, New York.
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Image: An artist at work on a sculpture of Ambulocetus, the Walking Whale, in the exhibits department of the American Museum of Natural History, New York.
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