Chapter 16. The Museum of Natural History

The Museum of Natural History

African elephants in the Akeley Hall of African Mammals. Taken at ISO 3200, f/1.4, 1/40 second with a 50mm lens.

Why It's Worth a Photograph

The Museum of Natural History is located on Central Park West in the heart of Manhattan. The museum was founded in 1869 and is one of the largest museums in the world, with over 46 permanent exhibition halls. The vast Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda looks out over Central Park and serves as the main entrance to the building that contains a huge cast skeleton of a Barosaurus.

The B and C subway lines bring you right to the museum's underground entrance, which may also offer a shorter queue and is even decorated with animal shapes built with subway tiles. The museum is very photography friendly; most exhibits allow flashes. There are rotating photography exhibits as well. Rare skeletons and explorations of Africa and Asia as well as the beauty of the building make the American Museum of Natural History a splendid place to spend a day exploring many unique photographic opportunities.

Why It's Worth a Photograph

The best vantage points from which to photograph the Museum of Natural History: (A) the front of the building, (B) the Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda, and (C) the exhibit areas. Other photo ops: (5) Central Park, and (20) Rose Center for Earth ...

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