Dinosaurs in the Attic: An Excursion into the American Museum of Natural History
by Douglas Preston
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Read in April, 2008
While the Smithsonian is known as "The Nation's Attic" - one can make a case that many museums could be described thusly. Especially a collection that started in 1869 when the science of "natural history" was still being defined, and the hunger for knowledge (and mastery) of the natural world was very strong.
The first section is an exploration into how some of the artifacts in the American Museum of Natural History got there, detailing several "expeditions", m...more
The first section is an exploration into how some of the artifacts in the American Museum of Natural History got there, detailing several "expeditions", m...more
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
History Geeks
You have to be a certain kind of person to really enjoy this book.
I am one of those strange history nuts who would give anything in the world for two special nights: one night in the "attic" of the Smithsonian Institution, and one night in the library of the Vatican.
This book is, of course, the closest any of us will probably ever get to a night in the attic of a major museum.
"Dinosaurs in the Attic" gives a wonderful behind-the-scenes account of how the New Yo...more
I am one of those strange history nuts who would give anything in the world for two special nights: one night in the "attic" of the Smithsonian Institution, and one night in the library of the Vatican.
This book is, of course, the closest any of us will probably ever get to a night in the attic of a major museum.
"Dinosaurs in the Attic" gives a wonderful behind-the-scenes account of how the New Yo...more
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Read in March, 2008
recommends it for:
History buffs, museum folk, scientists
This is a very well written book that takes snapshots in the building of the American Museum of Natural History and brings them to life for the reader. He documents key events in the life of the Museum and delves into the origins of much of the material that is in the Museum today. His intelligence and passion for natural history come through clearly in his prose, which captures the reader and propels them to the next item.
I was attracted to Preston's work because of a movie that I loved (...more
I was attracted to Preston's work because of a movie that I loved (...more
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Read in January, 2000
When this book told me the museum's labs contain jars upon jars of grizzly bear gall bladders, octopus eyeballs, and other floating delights, it prompted me to take my Jar o' Fun to the American Museum of Natural History to see if they would be interested in the jar's contents. A monkey sucking its thumb, a potto, a chameleon, a lion cub, and other assorted creatures had been suspended in chlorophyll since a missionary in Africa had first collected and them back in the late 1960s and now I was i...more
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Read in March, 2008
I enjoyed reading this book even though in the beginning I had my doubts. I am not a museum buff so I did not have high expectations. After getting part of the way through I realized that there were many amazing stories to be told. Not only was it interesting learing about how the museum got up and running, it was also interesting reading the many stories behind the artifacts and how they came to reside in the museum. One story, that I really enjoyed, was about how some of the gems were stol...more
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Read in March, 2008
As I am strangely fascinated with Museums, I found it to be an interesting collection of stories about the American Museum of Natural History. He even mentioned someone I knew.
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Read in March, 2007
Preston's history of the Natural Museum of History in New York City. It an EXTREMELY interesting read and I would recommened it to anyone.
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