For this week’s blog post, I decided to take advantage of my CUNYID and discover one of the many fine museums New York has to offer: the American Museum of Natural History. Located in the heart of the Theodore Roosevelt Park. across the street from Central Park, I wanted to see for myself why this museum is so renowned and coveted across the country, and remind myself why Night at the Museum was such a great movie.
Not only was the museum itself spectacular, but the bus ride across 79th Street to the museum was lovely as well coming from the Upper East Side where the bus crosses the heart of Central Park, being able to witness the leaves beginning to yellow across the park (Fall is officially upon us!), as well as all the activities being performed within the park. Upon arrival, the building itself possessed an aura of knowledge, proving a warm and exciting welcome its visitors.
I first was welcoming by the Ullman Hall of the Universe. Its placement at the main entrance of the museum was quite clever, representing the start of mankind. The exhibit touched upon the foundations of our modern solar system and how Earth came to be. The hall provided timelines, interactive videos, and artifacts of the solar system, including the Willamette Meteorite which is the largest meteorite ever to be found within North America, discovered in Oregon in the year 1902.
What also drew my attention was the Dinosaur exhibit in the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs. On display were several reconstructions of dinosaurs ranging from many eras of the prehistoric period. The bones ranged from baby dinosaurs, to massive reconstructions of giant ones.
Granted I did arrive to the museum a little “late” (why does it close so early?), from the small taste of what I got, the American Museum of Natural History certainly has plenty more to offer and I am already planning to go back prepared soon to fully explore this amazing building.
