Friday, July 31st, 2009

The Art of the Natural History Museum

This video plays best with Flash

Items on this page work best if you have the current version of Adobe's Flash Player installed. Click on the image to the left to install the player.

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.) Viewed 4963 times. 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.