Restored, reinterpreted and remounted in 1996, the fourth-floor fossil halls at the American Museum of Natural History are home to many world-renowned specimens. New graphics help communicate new scientific thinking about evolution, and help visitors understand the practice of science. The Hall of Vertebrate Origins explains how early vertebrates came out of the oceans on to land. Specimens and models are hung overhead, with labels on railing beneath them. All exhibits in the main path can be taken apart with a hex wrench, useful for special events and dining occasions.
The 11,000-square-foot Hall of Biodiversity at the American Museum of Natural History was created to celebrate life's great diversity and beauty. As well as focusing on living species, the exhibit also tells the story of mass global extinction, and how species are being lost at alarming rate through human activities. Located within a softly illuminated space are three main areas: The Spectrum of Life, the Rainforest and The Resource Center. The challenge was to explain an extensive story with different messages within a compressed space.
