Incredible Images From the American Museum of Natural History’s Research Library Are Now Available Online

Rope Cypress, standing in canoe shooting bow and arrow, clouds above, The Everglades, Florida, 1910

The American Museum of Natural History’s Research Library has launched a digital special collections archive that includes at least 7,000 images that had previously only been accessible in person on the museum’s fourth floor in New York City. The museum hopes to eventually digitize up to one million images from the research library’s collection. The current set includes archival photographic images, art and memorabilia images, and illustrations from their Rare Book Collection.

What began as a pilot project of 1,000 images is a long term effort to create comprehensive access to the rich and varied collections of photographs, rare book illustrations, art and memorabilia held in the Library. Images are being scanned and cataloged by teams of staff, interns, and volunteers and new images are added as they become available.

Portunus reticulatus from Herbst’s Versuch einer Naturgeschichte der Krabben und Krebse

Huichol Indian authorities at Guadalupe de Ocotán, Mexico, 1895

American Museum of Natural History exterior, view from roof of Dakota Apartments, 72nd Street and Central Park West, 1880

Roy Chapman Andrews and George Olsen at nest of “the even dozen dinosaur eggs”, Third Asiatic Expedition, Mongolia, 1925

images via The American Museum of Natural History

via The New York Times