Best natural history taxidermy dioramas

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

While the taxidermy work may not be the best, la Galerie de l'évolution in Paris has first of all an amazing building. Some of the rooms are just magnificient.
Also it has some rather interesting preserved animals, among others :
- Louis XV's rhinoceros
- Louis XVI's Quagga
- President Pompidou's panda

The last two are exhibited in La salle des Espèces disparues, with many other very rare / extinct species.

Yes, I agree with you about la Galerie de l'évolution in Paris. It has been a long long time since I saw the taxidermy specimens here and the museum but from what I remember it was very impressive.

Not really dioramas but I think the gallery gives the really grandeur of biodiversity and nature and in a secular sense it is almost stately like a cathedralesque or something.

I think this is what natural history museums should ultimately inspire in the visitor, a sense of awe and connection to the rest of life, a reverence for nature and the insignificance of humanity in the grand scheme of things.

Also, not really related but one famous taxidermy specimen that I would love to see that was once held here but that has been destroyed since the French Revolution is the specimen of "the beast of Gevaudan" (which by the way I believe was nothing other than a large gray wolf but would like to see nevertheless).

 

[Jurek7]

This diorama made me wonder.
What if a zoo had some indoor animal house (possibly crocodile or hippos or great apes or whatever) with free-flying butterflies, sun beetles, small finches, geckos and such? Would they cope well with the temperature? Would visitors like or be scared by beetles?

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

This diorama made me wonder.
What if a zoo had some indoor animal house (possibly crocodile or hippos or giant apes or whatever)

Not sure what you mean by that , don't zoos already have these kind of taxa themed houses?

and what do you mean by giant ape ?

with free-flying butterflies, sun beetles, small finches, geckos and such? Would they cope well with the temperature? Would visitors like or be scared by beetles?

I'm not sure about beetles but I think this kind of set up already exists in botanical gardens like the Eden project and Kew gardens and probably in many zoos too.

 

[Jurek7]

I mean that jungle-themed houses would have also small free-living animals. For now, it is sometimes small birds.

Great apes, corrected.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I mean that jungle-themed houses would have also small free-living animals. For now, it is sometimes small birds.

I'm sure these already exist in terms of small reptiles, larger lizards and even primates, sloths, bats, tamandua and birds.

I mean look at the Clore pavilion tropical house at ZSL for example.

 

[Breckenridge]

I think the AMNH's Pacific Bird Hall is an amazing example of museum dioramas and it's a shame over half of the displays are covered up by the museum's butterfly conservatory. The story of how the hall came to be is also interesting: Inside the American Museum of Natural History’s Hidden Masterpiece—The Appendix

 

[nczoofan]

I think the AMNH's Pacific Bird Hall is an amazing example of museum dioramas and it's a shame over half of the displays are covered up by the museum's butterfly conservatory. The story of how the hall came to be is also interesting: Inside the American Museum of Natural History’s Hidden Masterpiece—The Appendix

Interestingly the museum is constructing its new expansion. This will include both a butterfly conservatory and an insect zoo. Therefore the museum will have to decide whether to open the pacific bird hall again or close it permanently. I hope for the former.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I think the AMNH's Pacific Bird Hall is an amazing example of museum dioramas and it's a shame over half of the displays are covered up by the museum's butterfly conservatory. The story of how the hall came to be is also interesting: Inside the American Museum of Natural History’s Hidden Masterpiece—The Appendix

Yes, absolutely agree about the Bird halls too , all of them are impressive.

I must admit that I found the AMNH's mammals halls more impressive but there are some incredible bird dioramas too.

My favourite was the Andean condor diorama which is the one that sticks in my memory the most:

But then there are all of these which are amongst the most beautiful works of Natural History art IMO :

Photo credits to @Sarus Crane, @savethelephant , and @Ding Lingwei .

 

[ChIkEn NuGrEt]

Although not as large or grand as other museums I love the Perot Museum dioramas of native Texas wildlife in the Discovering Life Hall.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Interestingly the museum is constructing its new expansion. This will include both a butterfly conservatory and an insect zoo. Therefore the museum will have to decide whether to open the pacific bird hall again or close it permanently. I hope for the former.

Seems like an absolutely insane idea to close that hall.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Although not as large or grand as other museums I love the Perot Museum dioramas of native Texas wildlife in the Discovering Life Hall.

Sounds interesting @ChIkEn NuGrEt , thanks for sharing !

Do you have any pictures of the dioramas?

 

[ChIkEn NuGrEt]

Sounds interesting @ChIkEn NuGrEt , thanks for sharing !

Do you have any pictures of the dioramas?

I'm sorry but no; I may be able to take picture next time I visit.

 

[ChIkEn NuGrEt]

I did find these.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I did find these.

Actually pretty good but the postures of the taxidermy animals in the 2nd photo look quite funny in the way they are posed.

It looks like the peccary is singing and the prarie dogs and birds are background singers / dancing.

 

[ChIkEn NuGrEt]

Actually pretty good but the postures of the taxidermy animals in the 2nd photo look quite funny in the way they are posed.

It looks like the peccary is singing and the prarie dogs and birds are background singers / dancing.

I think i's just the angle. There is a diorama of a Texan forest, another diorama of a Texan desert/scrubland, and a third diorama of a Texan grassland/farmland. The cool thing about the forest diorama is that there is a tunnel for kids; each diorama also has a scent/sound button thing.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I think i's just the angle. There is a diorama of a Texan forest, another diorama of a Texan desert/scrubland, and a third diorama of a Texan grassland/farmland. The cool thing about the forest diorama is that there is a tunnel for kids; each diorama also has a scent/sound button thing.

I really think these kinds of scent / sound buttons are an interesting factor in these kinds of educational displays.

There were displays like this in an exhibition on nocturnal animals at the Natural History Museum in London and I thought they were an excellent addition.

 

[Breckenridge]

Seems like an absolutely insane idea to close that hall.

I agree, seems crazy to get rid of it completely. Especially since the butterfly exhibit was originally only going to cover up the hall temporarily, but proved so popular it became permanent.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I agree, seems crazy to get rid of it completely. Especially since the butterfly exhibit was originally only going to cover up the hall temporarily, but proved so popular it became permanent.

It seems like the destruction of a work of art / historical artifact to me, doesn't seem right at all.

 

[Breckenridge]

It seems like the destruction of a work of art / historical artifact to me, doesn't seem right at all.

I think the pacific bird specimens would be even more valuable today with climate change, ocean pollution, and the spread of the brown tree snake.

 

[German Zoo World]

Was there a particular diorama in the Hall of African Mammals that was your favourite ?

I have never been to the AMNH but you can visit it via Google Maps and i have to say both rhino Dioramas are impressive Look at their Horns. The Leopard stalking a hog is cool too.