Tag Archives: natural history

The Field Columbian Museum (1894-1920)

December 20th, 2011 | Space

Museum Moon Model

Field Columbian Museum West Court Alcove 103. 1898. Moon Model Prepared by Johann Friedrich Julius Schmidt, Germany, in 1898. Made of 116 sections of plaster on a framework of wood and metal. Wood floor, security Guard in uniform in background, stairs leading up to the left. Sign above door ,”Geology,” not completely visible.

Original size and material: 11×14 inch glass negative

North Facade of Field Columbian Museum

North Facade entrance to Field Columbian Museum building, snow on the ground. Admission Information on sign outside. Signs “Field Museum of Natural History open for visitors every day from 9am to 4pm. Admission adults 25¢ children 10¢ Free Saturdays and Sundays” and “Business Entrance South Door.” 1912.

Original size and material: 5×7 inch glass negative

South Facade with Lagoon

South facade with lagoon. Lion sculptures on outside of building from Palace of Fine Arts at Exposition. Field Columbian Museum. 1895.

Original size and material: 5×7 inch glass negative

North Court Exhibit Cases

North Court exhibit cases. European Archaeology, Egyptian and Roman artifacts, canoes. View of 2nd floor gallery, Botany exhibits and flags. Scrim (translucent fabric) covers the skylight. Field Columbian Museum. 1897.

Original size and material: 8×10 inch glass negative

Irish Deer or Elk, Hadrosaur, and Other Fossil Skeletons

Hall 36 Paleontology. Titanothere Uintathere, Irish Deer or Elk, Hadrosaur, Carcharodon fossil whale jaw with modern shark jaw for comparison. Fossil skeletons or specimens. Hadrosaur foulkii (Late Cretaceous) cast by B. Waterhouse Hawkins. All specimens on pedestals with signs that say “Hands Off”, radiators and buckets of sand for fire protection nearby. Field Columbian Museum. 1895.

Original size and material: 8×10 inch glass negative

Mesozoic Fossils

Hall 35, Mesozoic Fossils. Displayed on pedestals 19, 22, 23 are Glyptodon (armadillo) carapace, Megatherium ground sloth skeleton [verify if cast], and Colossochelys model of Atlas Turtle (Testudo atlas). Drawings of invertebrates on walls. Silurian, Devonian fossils in wood and glass exhibit cases. Field Columbian Museum. 1900.

Apparently, these animals were not even really from the Mesozoic era..?

Original size and material: 8×10 inch glass negative

Riggs and Klein with Fossil Rhinoceros Skull

Elmer S. Riggs and Mr. Klein with fossil rhinoceros skull in Paleontology Lab. Other specimens in view include mastodon or elephant, titanothere, Diornis, uintathere. Mounted limb on back wall might be Diornis. Field Columbian Museum. 1899.

Original size and material: 5×7 inch glass negative

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I decided to post this series of photography because I was a big fan of the realistic moon protruding out of the wall, but I couldn’t help but include all of the old fossil pictures that I came across as well.  There’s something mysterious and natural about old museums to which I’ve always related.  So much of early natural history was about classifying and organizing, and I’ve always found some strange peace in that.

You can find more of this photography here.

This moon photo was originally found on 2headedsnake via the Public Domain Review, a site dedicated to the sharing of classic works of art.  Definitely take a wander through some of the other links on the Public Domain Review.