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NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM CELEBRATES 94TH YEAR IN EXHIBIT OF ‘TREASURES FROM THE VAULT’

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LOS ANGELES, CALIF. — Since opening its doors in November 1913, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has amassed one of the world’s most extensive and valuable collections of natural and cultural history — more than 35 million objects, some as old as 4.5 billion years.

In celebration of its 94th year, the museum has selected some of its most rarely seen and remarkable artifacts and specimens for “Treasures from the Vault,” on view in the Director’s Gallery through January 21.

“What defines a treasure? Some of the objects represented here have great monetary value, while others require only a little knowledge and context to reveal inestimable worth. All are indisputable examples of either nature’s ingenuity of humankind’s imagination,” said Jane G. Pisano, president and director of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

Working with museum research and collections curators, NHM Anthropology Curator Margaret Hardin organized the exhibition featuring objects from NHM’s diverse collections of natural and cultural history — Vertebrate and Invertebrate Paleontology; History; Mineral Sciences; the Dinosaur Institute; Marine Biodiversity; Anthropology; Entomology; Ichthyology; Mammalogy and Ornithology.

Many of these objects are so fragile and light sensitive that the museum is not able to present them for permanent display. For example, Amelia Earhart’s bold, passionate scrawl is faded but still legible in her 1928 flight log. The two butterflies on display have a rare quirk — look closely and see one of nature’s strangest phenomenons, gynandromorphism, at work. These delicate creatures are simultaneously male and female.

“As the Museum recasts its most iconic spaces, we were inspired to create an exhibition highlighting museum treasures that could now no longer be bought or replaced,” said Hardin. “Visitors may encounter a rare silver pheasant collected on a World War II battlefield, an intact glass sponge found 2,700 feet underwater, or a marine mosasaur Platecarpus, which lived some 85 million years ago.”

While delicacy and novelty are major themes at play in the exhibition, “Treasures” also pays homage to the way objects are collected and displayed. “The Importance of Objects,” a tabletop installation by artist Kim Abeles, serves as a microcosm of the exhibition. Commissioned by the museum in 1995, Abeles’ piece was chosen because it contains objects from several departments that would not ordinarily mix in the same space — worms and nudibranchs in alcohol, manufactured artifacts and taxidermied specimens.

After working closely with several museum curators, Abeles was moved by the sensitivity with which they care for objects, and her piece is intended as a tribute to their devotion.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is at 900 Exposition Boulevard. For information, 213-763-DINO or www.nhm.org.