Exhibitions Division collection

Collection

Identifier: NHM-ARC-0017

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection is primarily composed of correspondence and includes photographs and slides, budget information, division reports and meeting notes, audio/visual materials, exhibition schedules, press kits, and ephemera. The collection also includes label copy, exhibition floorplans and blueprints, and original illustrations and sketches by artist Mike Meaker. The collection also contains information on the construction and opening of the Museum's Marine Hall, Bird Hall, Gem and Mineral Hall, and Dinosaur Halls, as well as materials related to the Hollywood Museum, Petersen Museum, and the now-defunct Burbank Branch of the Natural History Museum.

Dates

1914-2015

Biographical / Historical

The Exhibitions Division served as the primary division responsible for the planning, creation, and installation of major permanent, temporary, and traveling exhibitions at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the George C. Page Museum from 1914-2015 and at the now-defunct Burbank Branch of the Natural History Museum. The collection documents major exhibitions and construction projects related to changing exhibition spaces in the Museum. Major exhibitions include a "From Wolf to Dog," an early exhibition on the evolution of the domestic dog, a 1984 Olympics exhibition, "Journey Through Time" in the Hall of Evolving Life, an insect zoo, and "Sharks: Fact and Fantasy," a traveling exhibition.

Extent

44 Linear Feet (46 full Hollinger boxes, 4 half Hollinger boxes, 1 Paige carton, 14 oversize flat archival boxes, 2 reels of 16mm film, 9 rolls of blueprints, 8 oversize exhibition notebooks, 8 pieces oversized label copy (unhoused), and 1 index card box.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Exhibitions Division collection documents the activities of the Exhibitions Division of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the George C. Page Museum from 1914-2015 and includes correspondence, photographs and slides, budget information, division reports and meeting notes, audio/visual materials, exhibition schedules, press kits, and ephemera. The collection also includes label copy, exhibition floorplans and blueprints, and original illustrations and sketches by artist Mike Meaker. The collection also contains information on the construction and opening of the Museum's Marine Hall, Bird Hall, Gem and Mineral Hall, and Dinosaur Halls, as well as materials related to the Hollywood Museum, Petersen Museum, and the now-defunct Burbank Branch of the Natural History Museum.

Arrangement

Arranged in sixteen series, three of which have been further arranged into subseries:

Series 1: Audiovisual materials, 1994-2006

Series 2: Blueprints, exhibit case plans, and gallery floor plans, 1913-2002

Series 3: Budget and financial information, 1947-1982

Series 4: Construction and building projects, 1922-2007

Series 5: Correspondence, 1950-2006

Series 6: Ephemera, 1982-2000

Series 7: Exhibit halls, 1989-1991

Subseries 1: Bird Hall, 1989-1991

Subseries 2: Diorama halls, 1922-2007

Subseries 3: Garland Hall of American History, 1967-1975

Subseries 4: Gem and Mineral Hall, 1953-1980

Subseries 5: Hall of Evolving Life, 1948-1993

Subseries 6: Lando Hall of Southwest and California History, 1971-1981

Subseries 7: Marine Hall, 1954-2007

Subseries 8: Native American Hall, 1941-1994

Series 8: Exhibits, 1929-2010

Subseries 1: Exhibits A-Z, 1946-2010

Subseries 2: Ascent of Equs, 1940-1941

Subseries 3: Columbia Gold, 1980-1981

Subseries 4: From Wolf to Dog, 1929-1940

Subseries 5: Genghis Khan, 1993-1994

Subseries 6: Lost Civilizations of the Tarim Basin (canceled), 1992-1999

Subseries 7: Maya exhibit, 1982-1986

Subseries 8: Olympics, 1982-1984

Subseries 9: Sharks: Fact and Fantasy, 1987-2009

Series 9: Exhibitions artwork, 1987-1995

Subseries 1: Graphics, illustrations, and sketches

Subseries 2: Insect Zoo illustrations and sketches

Subseries 3: Mike Meaker illustrations, 1987-1995

Series 10: Exhibitions development materials, 1920-2010

Series 11: Hancock Park and La Brea Tar Pits, 1928-1988

Series 12: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Burbank branch, 1989-1993

Series 13: Oversize materials, 1913-2013

Series 14: Publications, 1925-2011

Series 15: Policies and procedures, 1950-1999

Series 16: Reports and meeting notes, 1963-2006