American Museum of Natural History

The museum's collection of birds, spread between three separate halls, is not as dramatic as the large mammal galleries. Still, like they mammals, they are displayed in intricate dioramas and contain a number of rare, endangered or even extinct species. The Hall of North American Birds is the highlight, but a stop in the smaller Birds of the World for a global look.

The museum's study of the natural world does not end with the arrival of *homo sapeins*. Instead, the museum uses the contrasting cultures of the world to better understand the impact of environment and resources on early and contemporary cultures from around the world. Visit the cultures of Asia, Africa, the Pacific Rimand indigenous North and South America.

The rest of the museums tirelessly catalogs the wonders of life on this planet. But what of the planet itself and its place in the universe? Explore these halls to feel small, but special. Space is vast. The exhibits make you feel it. The earth is unique. The exhibits explain why this rock, among all the rocks, can host this abundance of life.

This corner of the museum is usually visited accidentally, enroute to other major halls. Exhibits in the Hall of New York State Environment and North American Forest feel charmingly out of date, particularly compared to the Hall of Biodiversity or Hall of Human Origins. There are few eye-catching highlights and, or course, dioramas, but animals tend to make better subjects than trees and the science of conservation has progressed since Eisenhower so be wary of what you learn.

The entire top floor of the museum is dedicated to its vast collection of fossils. While it is likely the impressive set of dinosaurs (including the new Titanosaur) that draws you here, the exhibits have been designed to tell the story of early evolution in the animal kingdom. Start in the Orientation Center and follow the million-year progress from early vertebrates to advanced mammals.

A modern take on the classic diorama: instead of appreciating a single animal in a detailed habiit, compare and contrast **all** the animals on a single wall. And learn in convincing detail the threats to individual species, vast biomes and the planent's environment as a whole.

The associated Hall of Gems and Hall of Minerals are currently closed for a much-anticipated resoration. There are a few other places in the museum to get your fix of geological wonders, but plan on returning in the fall of 2019 to see some of the most valuable pieces in the world.

Opened in 2007, this is one of the newer permanent sections of the museum and demonstrates the museum's efforts to be an active voice in the modern scientific community. You will find comprehensive genetic, anthropological and paleontological evidence for the evolution of man as an animal species.

Forego the pretense and head straight here. You came to see the whale and this is where it is. But there is so much else here you risk spending your entire day. A well-deserved favorite for all ages with plenty to explore beyond the elephant in the room.

Africa has elephants. Asia does too. Alaska has Grizzly Bears and giant moose. The museum has them all, and many, many more. If the collections in these halls were alive, this would be the greatest zoo in the world. The mega-fauna are impressive, but pay attention to the small details in the realistic habitats.

The reptile collection breaks the patten established by the mammal and bird halls. A variety of reptile species are on display, preserved and posed. But instead of the carefully detailed natural habitats, they are placed in glass cases, filled with accomapnying information. What it lacks in artistry it makes up for in education. Even if you have tired of dioramas, the small hall is worth a visit and a change of pace.

You cannot miss Theodore Roosevelt at the museum. Whether astride his horse outside or sitting on a bench downstairs or his words engraved in the rotunda or his wisdom lining the benches, T.R. is everywhere in the museum. A more appropriate memorial to this polymath President could not be created: a haven of science and conservation in the heart of the city he loved.