Carl Akeley left Milwaukee and went to the Field Museum in Chicago and then to
the American Museum in NY.  There is a very good biography about Carl Akeley
written by Penelope Bodry-Sanders and I think (my copy is at work) that there
would be excellent passages pertaining to dioramas found in her book.  He also
was a sculptor and inventor and tinkered with a "moving picture camera" to
create one called the "Akeley Camera" that he used to capture the movements of
the animals and the habitats.  AMNH also had a video about the Akeley Halls,
narrated by Cliff Robertson, called "Brightest Africa" c. 1987.  Their Museum
Store probably has it available for purchase.

-Nina Cummings // The Field Museum // Photography
Department // <[log in to unmask]>


In article <[log in to unmask]> "Henry B. Crawford"
<[log in to unmask]> writes:

>Information on diorama building can be had from any of the taxidermy or
>exhibit staff persons at the Milwaukee Public Museum.  Carl Akley, who
>trained at MPM, designed and built the first habitat diorama there in 1890.
>(It's still on exhibit!)  MPM has been an innovator in diorama production
>ever since.  The current exhibit and taxidermy staff carry on the tradition
>as the leaders of environmental exhibit design.

>HBC (former MPM employee)