Denver Museum of Nature & Science

The Earth Sciences Department at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science is one of the institution's oldest. It now includes the areas of paleontology and geology, which at one time were separate entities.

Numerous individuals who worked in the department and its predecessors contributed to the archival record of its history contained in this collection. Philip Reinheimer was a preparator in the Department of Paleontology from 1919 to 1921, Chief Preparator from 1922 to his retirement in 1946, and Honorary Preparator until his death in 1947. Frank M. Figgins was on the staff of the Division of Paleontology in the 1920s. Floyd F. Blair was a preparator in the Division of Paleontology in the early- and mid-1920s. Harold Cook was Curator of Paleontology from late 1928 to 1930. Harvey C. Markman was a preparator in the Division of Paleontology from 1922 to 1927, a general staff member from 1929 to 1935, Librarian in 1935, and Curator of Geology and Paleontology from 1936 until his retirement in 1954. He was Curator Emeritus from 1955 until his death in 1959. Robert L. Landberg was Assistant Preparator in the Department of Paleontology from 1936 to 1946 and Chief Preparator from 1946 until his death in 1949. Jack A. Murphy joined the Museum in 1964 as an assistant preparator and was appointed Assistant Curator of Geology in 1968. He served as Curator of Geology from 1969 until his retirement in 2004 when he was named Curator Emeritus. K. Don Lindsey was Assistant Curator of Paleontology from 1971 to 1974 and Curator of Paleontology from 1975 to 1984.

From the guide to the Earth Sciences Department Records, 1926-1988, (Denver Museum of Nature & Science, )

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has 104 dioramas containing many of the Museum's collections of specimens and artifacts and depicting the context of those collections. From around 1910, the first diorama-type displays at DMNS consisted of flat oil paintings placed behind specimens. Installation of the first of the present-day displays began in 1936, under the direction of Alfred M. Bailey, the Museum's director from 1936 to 1969.

Bailey introduced the use of curved and domed backgrounds for habitat dioramas, lighting them for the first time with artificial light. Previously, flat foregrounds had been used with native grasses and the like, but the new dioramas blended foreground and painted background in such a way that the visitor seemed to be looking into the actual habitat. Bailey also encouraged and conducted extensive field work by Museum staff, which served to add to this realistic effect. It is interesting to note that Bailey had been on the staff of Chicago's Field Museum for ten years before coming to Denver. That museum was the first to install the new "modern" foregrounds and backgrounds, along with more realistically-mounted animal specimens in 1902.

In the early 20th century, taxidermy was dramatically changed by the use of realistically sculpted figures on which to mount animal skins. DMNS employed some of the best taxidermists of the time, along with talented landscape artists and naturalists, to help install its dioramas. This resulted in displays that are regarded as among the finest in the museum world. Much hands-on work on the foregrounds of the dioramas, as well as actual specimen collection, was done by Dr. Robert J. Niedrach, employed by the Museum from 1913 to his retirement in 1970. He was a field naturalist who became the Museum's curator of birds. He was also a collector, taxidermist and preparator. He worked closely with Bailey to show the museum's collections in dioramas depicting places ranging from various parts of the U.S., including Alaska, to Canada, Guatemala, Australia, the Sub-Antarctic and Brazil.

The curators, background painters, taxidermists, sculptors and foreground preparators who created the dioramas exercised great care to ensure accuracy of presentation and quality of production. Most of the animals in the dioramas were collected as part of field work by musuem staff and trustees. Exceptions to this include some specimens of rare, extinct or protected species such as the manatee (sculptural cast), Passenger Pigeon (acquired from a taxidermy shop after extinction of the species) and prehistoric animals (sculptural models). The skins of extinct and endangered birds and mammals were obtained from now-defunct taxidermy shops or date back to the 19th century. Vegetation and foreground materials contain both real and manufactured materials. Background paintings demonstrate the appearance, behaviors and ecological relationships between the contextual flora and fauna.

The museum had special assistance with dioramas related to Native Americans from the Native American Advisory Council.

From the guide to the Dioramas of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 1936-2003, (Denver Museum of Nature & Science)