Wonderful old photos show behind-the-scenes magic at the American Museum of Natural History

 

 

Ever wonder who attached the giant Blue Whale to the ceiling of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City? Well, the museum has put a fantastic photo archive online so you can see all the behind-the-scenes magic from its early days.

Along with a shot of the Blue Whale from 1969, we've posted a few of our favorite black-and-white images with their original captions from the archive below. If those pique your interest , check out the full online archive, titled "Picturing the Museum: Education and Exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History" here.
 

(Via Boing Boing)

 

Mr. Bell working on Devil Fish Manta exhibit (1917); photo by Julius Kirschner

 

Museum staff person working on trunk of elephant in Indian Elephant Group (1927); photo by Julius Kirschner

 

Museum staff viewing suspended Whale model, Hall of Ocean Life (1969); photo by Alex J. Rota

 

Museum staff with fossil shark jaws under restoration (1927); photo by H.S. Rice

 

Charles Lang and Otto Faulkenbach working on Triceratops model (1938); photo by Julius Kirschner

 

Ray De Lucia and Matt Kalmenoff working on Killer Whale Group, Hall of Ocean Life (1967); photo by Alex J. Rota