I have to say that my favorite museum for taxidermied specimens of mammals is the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Nowhere else I've been compares. Even the fact that the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has a collection that is larger than it's next closest competitor by a factor of 2, they way they present the animals is jumbled and odd. In one moment they are in geographic clusters and the next, it some share attribute, and then it's just stuck together (Walruses, Binturongs and Bats? Oh My!). It does beat the past iteration of animals rows and rows and glass boxes. However, in their attempt to create some visually interesting arrangements, they have isolated a lot of specimens so far from the viewer that they can only say "clever design" but never really see the animal itself. Also the use of lighting that brings a constant glare inhibiting clear viewing is annoying. And while much of a taxidermy is wonderful, the staging could be better. I get that they were going for a minimalist, modern vibe, I just don't think it works overall.
I have to say that my favorite museum for taxidermied specimens of mammals is the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Nowhere else I've been compares. Even the fact that the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has a collection that is larger than it's next closest competitor by a factor of 2, they way they present the animals is jumbled and odd. In one moment they are in geographic clusters and the next, it some share attribute, and then it's just stuck together (Walruses, Binturongs and Bats? Oh My!). It does beat the past iteration of animals rows and rows and glass boxes. However, in their attempt to create some visually interesting arrangements, they have isolated a lot of specimens so far from the viewer that they can only say "clever design" but never really see the animal itself. Also the use of lighting that brings a constant glare inhibiting clear viewing is annoying. And while much of a taxidermy is wonderful, the staging could be better. I get that they were going for a minimalist, modern vibe, I just don't think it works overall.
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