# 1387 - 1970 6c Natural History: American Bald Eagle
Natural History
The American Museum Of Natural History Is Established
The museum was largely the dream of naturalist Dr. Albert S. Bickmore. For several years, Bickmore lobbied extensively for the creation of a natural history museum in New York.
In 1869, Bickmore gained the support of several wealthy sponsors, including Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. (father of future President Theodore Roosevelt), J.P. Morgan, and Charles A. Dana. With their strong support, Bickmore gained New York Governor John Thompson Hoffman’s approval. The governor signed a bill officially establishing the museum on April 6, 1869. That same year, John David Wolfe is made the museum’s first president.
Beginning in the 1880s, the museum launched a series of expeditions to the North Pole, Siberia, Outer Mongolia, Gobi, and the Congo. These expeditions helped greatly expand their collections to represent every continent on Earth.
Today the museum is one of the largest natural history museums in the world. It consists of 26 buildings and 45 permanent exhibition halls containing over 34 million items. The museum has one mission statement: “To discover, interpret, and disseminate – through scientific research and education – knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe.”
Natural History
The American Museum Of Natural History Is Established
The museum was largely the dream of naturalist Dr. Albert S. Bickmore. For several years, Bickmore lobbied extensively for the creation of a natural history museum in New York.
In 1869, Bickmore gained the support of several wealthy sponsors, including Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. (father of future President Theodore Roosevelt), J.P. Morgan, and Charles A. Dana. With their strong support, Bickmore gained New York Governor John Thompson Hoffman’s approval. The governor signed a bill officially establishing the museum on April 6, 1869. That same year, John David Wolfe is made the museum’s first president.
Beginning in the 1880s, the museum launched a series of expeditions to the North Pole, Siberia, Outer Mongolia, Gobi, and the Congo. These expeditions helped greatly expand their collections to represent every continent on Earth.
Today the museum is one of the largest natural history museums in the world. It consists of 26 buildings and 45 permanent exhibition halls containing over 34 million items. The museum has one mission statement: “To discover, interpret, and disseminate – through scientific research and education – knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe.”