Hall of Small Mammals

At the American Museum of Natural History, the Akeley Hall of African Mammals presents early 20th‑century habitat dioramas of elephants, gorillas, and other species, built from field expeditions and taxidermy. Installed in New York across decades, the hall became a template for how American museums pictured Africa and “nature” for urban audiences. It now reads as both wildlife display and historical document, showing the era’s scientific ambitions alongside its colonial framing. The craft remains precise, even when the worldview feels dated.