> . . . I am looking for articles on natural history museum displays, in
> particular dioramas, that examine them as social constructs but more
> particularly as a way of seeing nature- a way that may well have changed with
> the advent of other media.  Does anyone know of any such articles?
>
> Nina Stoyan-Rosenzweig
> Box 117320
> University of Florida

Not articles, so much, but the habitat diorama traces it's history to the
1890s in Milwaukee.  The Milwaukee Public Museum (where I was Registrar for
5 years) developed the first habitat diorama, a muskrat group, in 1890.
It's creator, Carl Akeley later made his name at the American Museum of
Natural History in New York as one of America's premier taxidermists.
Milwaukee was his training ground.  The Akeley muskrat group is still on
exhibit at MPM.

Dr. Nancy Lurie's book _A Special Style_ (1983), which is a history of the
Milwaukee Public Museum, details the development of the "Milwaukee Style" of
interpretive exhibition, which includes the total habitat diorama that has
since become a world standard.  The walk-through diorama is also a Milwaukee
legacy.  I don't know if the book is still in print, but Nancy, now a
Curator Emeritus, still graces the halls of the MPM Anthropology Division.
She can be reached at the MPM at 414/278-2773.  Please give her my regards.

Cheers,
HBC

***************************************
Henry B. Crawford
Curator of History
Museum of Texas Tech University
Box 43191
4th and Indiana
Lubbock, TX  79409-3191
[log in to unmask]
806/742-2442  FAX 742-1136
Website: http://www.museum.ttu.edu
***  Living History . . . Because It's There  ***

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).