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Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History [Hardcover]

Stephen Christopher Quinn
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)

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Book Description

April 1, 2006
New York City's American Museum of Natural History is a national treasure, attracting four million visitors annually. Its dioramas-a dazzling mixture of nature, science, and art-have inspired young and old alike, and are world-renowned examples of the unique diorama craft: art in the service of science. Now, in the only book of its kind, readers get an insider's view of these "windows on nature," witnessing their creation step by meticulous step.

More than forty of the museum's finest dioramas are featured here, depicting the fauna and flora of myriad ecological environments. Stephen Quinn, a diorama artist at the museum, introduces the explorers, naturalists, painters, sculptors, taxidermists, and conservationists behind these three-dimensional marvels, and explains how their collaborations make the displays so lifelike. This enchanting book is the perfect gift for nature lovers, art enthusiasts, and museum goers everywhere.

Frequently Bought Together

Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History + Kingdom Under Glass: A Tale of Obsession, Adventure, and One Man's Quest to Preserve the World's Great Animals + Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy
Price for all three: $44.19

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stephen Christopher Quinn joined the staff of the American Museum of Natural History in 1974. As senior project manager for exhibitions, Quinn oversees all aspects of new diorama creation, conservation, and restoration. A longtime member of the Society of Animal Artists, Quinn lives in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 180 pages
  • Publisher: American Museum of Natural History/Harry N. Abrams; 1st edition (April 1, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0810959402
  • ISBN-13: 978-0810959408
  • Product Dimensions: 10 x 0.8 x 11 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
(16)
4.9 out of 5 stars
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Some great insight on the background and history of creating the dioramas. christine grev  |  3 reviewers made a similar statement
This book has added a whole new dimension to that fascination. Reviewer  |  1 reviewer made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars What a Gem! June 3, 2006
Format:Hardcover
I found this treasure at my local bookstore (could have got it cheaper here!), looked it over, walked away, came back and looked again, walked away again, but couldn't find anything else I wanted as badly. It is an elegant masterpiece. I happen to thrill at anything remotely connected to taxidermy, but this book will also interest those who like nature, museums, or art.

This book is specifically about the dioramas of one museum, but in telling how they were constructed - taxidermy, foreground, and background painting - it is enlightening to anyone who loves natural history museums in general. There are color photos of the dioramas today, and black-and-whites of the artists working on various stages of their development decades ago. The step-by-step pictures of how a huge elephant mount is put together are nothing short of fascinating. Then, in addition, there are behind the scenes stories about how each diorama came together, and some hair-raising tales of specimen collecting in Africa.

If I have a complaint, it is this: the author has written the text as if only addressing fellow New Yorkers, assuming his readers have already been to this museum and seen these dioramas in person. "Think back to your memories of visits to the grand diorama galleries of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City." I can't help but feel a bit excluded, having never been there, although I am perfectly able to appreciate the exhibits based on the museums I have had the pleasure to visit. Perhaps he underestimated the broader appeal this book would have, but at any rate he unknowingly sparks a desire in the rest of us to try to get there someday!
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars As visually impressive as it is informative April 2, 2006
Format:Hardcover
A work as visually impressive as it is informative, Windows On Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas Of The American Museum Of Natural History is drawn from the studies of Stephen Christopher Quinn and presents a simply outstanding collection of the artistic creation of the animal and nature oriented displays since the museum's founding in 1869. Bringing together, for the first time in one superbly organized and unique collection, the artistic contributions of this New York based museum of natural history, Windows On Nature gives readers a chance to see the many inspiring (and sometimes incongruous) works of contributors to the great historical museum diorama displays. Windows On Nature is especially recommend-ed for academic and community library collections, as well as American Museum Of Natural History visitors and those engaged in study of nature-oriented art.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars NATURAL WONDERS AND HOW THEY WERE MADE April 22, 2006
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a marvelous and beautiful book. It has great color photos of recreated natural settings--the dioramas that bring nature to life in the museum--and the text is a pleasure to read. The descriptions and additional photos not only tell about the scenes but provide innumerable details and stories about how they were made, and the very human and wonderful museum exhibition people who, with skill and ingenuity, created them--the world behind the scenes. Bravo!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Natural History memories of my youth January 23, 2008
Format:Hardcover
My father introduced me to the wonders of the American Museum of Natural History at the age of five.The Hall of African Mammals was the highlight of my first interest in the 1930`s.The dinosaur exhibit and ocean life can capture the imagination and fascination of any child.
Windows on Nature is a must have in the library of any one with an interest in Natural History.
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5.0 out of 5 stars great February 8, 2013
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
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4.0 out of 5 stars Great but somewhat lacking? November 21, 2012
By yongl
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The snippets and behind-the-scenes look at how the various dioramas were originally conceived, researched and designed are both insightful and refreshing. It educates the reader on how each dioramic display was painstakingly recreated to portray the most authentic environment that the different taxidermised animals would have roamed, grazed and hunted.
A great read - the only 'complaint' I have is that it features very heavily on Northern American wildlife and very little on Asian, African and South American wildlife. Perhaps a Volume 2 of 'WINDOWS ON NATURE' can be considered to fill that void.
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5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book! June 22, 2012
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
this is an amazing book full of wonderful information, great anecdotes, and
excellent pictures. A real treat for anyone interested in the Museum of Natural History
or in mural painting.
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Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you like the Museum of Natural History and its dioramas and have seen the NY NY dioramas yourself,you will love this book. Some great insight on the background and history of creating the dioramas. Beautiful pictures of the dioramas that make it a great coffee table conversation starter, even if others aren't big fans of the idea of a diorama.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Step Inside the Dioramas
I have been going to the American Museum of Natural History since about age 4 (I am long past four...and even forty! Read more
Published on June 3, 2010 by Reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars A Gem
A beautiful gem of a book. Fantastic photographs and great stories about the wonderful displays at the museum. A must for anybody who's spent some happy hours in the museum.
Published on December 27, 2009 by Kenneth Goldstein
5.0 out of 5 stars Memento Mori
The best memento you can get from your visit to this astonishing museum. My only regret is that, fifty years from now, these dioramas will be the only remains of a beautiful... Read more
Published on November 26, 2008 by Paco Calderón
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and informative.
I enjoy the fact that this book not only has great photos, but also gives excellent insights into the entire process behind how the displays were made. Great.
Published on November 18, 2008 by Chance A. Dunlap
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating look at the dioramas at Museum of Natural History
This book is full of fascinating stories and discussions of the dioramas and their impact on animal drawing and animal conservation movement.
The pictures are excellent. Read more
Published on June 18, 2008 by Marilyn Jones
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful.
Stephen Christopher Quinn, Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History (Abrams, 2006)

Dioramas are amazing things. Read more
Published on May 11, 2007 by Robert P. Beveridge
5.0 out of 5 stars great nature book
This was a gift for my mother who visited this museum years ago. It brought back great memories we had when we went. The book was very well done.
Published on January 15, 2007 by Robert S. Bryson
5.0 out of 5 stars unbeatable and unique book on the Museum
I am not a scientist nor museum professional, simply a museumgoer. This book is a clear and attractive presentation about the dioramas that have helped define this wonderful... Read more
Published on July 25, 2006 by Nolita Reader
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