ANNUAL REPORT 2018 JULY 1, 2017 – JUNE 30, 2018 be out-of-date or reflect the bias and expeditionary initiative, which traveled to SCIENCE stereotypes of past eras, the Museum is Transylvania under Macaulay Curator in endeavoring to address these. Thus, new the Division of Paleontology Mark Norell to 4 interpretation was developed for the “Old study dinosaurs and pterosaurs. The Richard New York” diorama. Similarly, at the request Gilder Graduate School conferred Ph.D. and EDUCATION of Mayor de Blasio’s Commission on Statues Masters of Arts in Teaching degrees, as well 10 and Monuments, the Museum is currently as honorary doctorates on exobiologist developing new interpretive content for the Andrew Knoll and philanthropists David S. EXHIBITION City-owned Theodore Roosevelt statue on and Ruth L. Gottesman. Visitors continued to 12 the Central Park West plaza. flock to the Museum to enjoy the Mummies, Our Senses, and Unseen Oceans exhibitions. Our second big event in fall 2017 was the REPORT OF THE The Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth received CHIEF FINANCIAL announcement of the complete renovation important updates, including a magnificent OFFICER of the long-beloved Gems and Minerals new Climate Change interactive wall. And 14 Halls. The newly named Allison and Roberto farther afield, in Columbus, Ohio, COSI Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals will opened the new AMNH Dinosaur Gallery, the FINANCIAL showcase the Museum’s dazzling collections first Museum gallery outside of New York STATEMENTS and present the science of our Earth in new City, in an important new partnership. 16 and exciting ways. The Halls will also provide an important physical link to the Gilder All of this is testament to the public’s hunger BOARD OF Center for Science, Education, and Innovation for the kind of science and education the TRUSTEES when that new facility is completed, vastly Museum does, and the critical importance of 18 improving circulation and creating a more the Museum’s role as a trusted guide to the coherent and enjoyable experience, both science-based issues of our time. intellectually and practically, for our millions COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF of annual visitors. It is an exciting and profound time for the TRUSTEES Museum, as we stand on the threshold of Of course, preparations for the Gilder our 150th anniversary and plan for the Gilder 20 FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN Center continued and in December 2017, Center. We thank you for your interest and the Museum received approval from the support and look forward to sharing the COMMITTEES OF THE MUSEUM, New York City Department of Parks and milestones ahead with you. Recreation on the Environmental Impact PROJECT COMMITTEES, historic Northwest Coast Hall, the Museum’s experiences of the living communities that Statement, the project’s last regulatory In the fall of 2017, the AND ADVISORY first permanent gallery and first cultural hall, the Hall celebrates. American Museum of Natural hurdle. This followed unanimous approval COUNCILS will undergo a major restoration. Notably, from the Landmarks Preservation History made two exciting The Northwest Coast Hall project is a central 21 the restoration is being done in close Commission, near-unanimous approval from Lewis W. Bernard collaboration with First Nations communities component of an institution-wide increased announcements which are, in Community Board 7, and hundreds of public, Chairman focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. In GIFTS AND GRANTS some ways, emblematic of the and will be co-curated by Museum curator community, and City meetings over two early 2018, the Board of Trustees formally Peter Whiteley and Nuu-Chah-Nulth artist years. As had been anticipated, a local group 22 institution’s work and focus adopted a statement articulating our values and cultural historian Haa’yuups (Ron sued the Museum, and we ended the fiscal today, as we look to our 150th on diversity and inclusion. The Museum has Hamilton). Following the announcement, year preparing for litigation, even while pre- PLANNED GIVING the Museum hosted a convening of Native strengthened efforts to increase diversity anniversary in 2019. construction continued. Ellen V. Futter 33 scholars, curators, artists, conservators, on the Board and in recruiting, and the President First, on September 25, 2017, in an inspiring and experts, as we began planning for a management staff received implicit bias The report that follows details the many CREDITS ceremony with Native representatives restoration that will not only refresh the training. As part of this effort, the Museum other initiatives and milestones of the 34 from both local and Northwest Coast Hall and conserve its magnificent objects, is also addressing the topic of cultural year, too many to enumerate here. Among communities, we announced that the but also reflect the current voices and representation and, where exhibits may the highlights, though, are our Explore21 2 AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 2018 ANNUAL REPORT 3 SCIENCE EXPEDITIONS: Adding to Scientific Knowledge 6 33 16 and Collections continents countries u.s. states SELECT EXPEDITIONS FROM FY2018 Canada Peter M. Whiteley Canada Melanie J. Hopkins France Peter M. Whiteley ANTHROPOLOGY Romania+ Mark A. Norell CENTER FOR BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION Mongolia Suzanne Goldberg, In-Hei Hahn, Carolyn Merrill, Italy Peter M. Whiteley Mark A. Norell, Michael J. Novacek INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY Spain Peter M. Whiteley PALEONTOLOGY Japan Eunsoo Kim Tunisia Lorenzo Prendini PHYSICAL SCIENCES China Jin Meng SACKLER INSTITUTE OF COMPARATIVE GENOMICS Morocco Neil H. Landman, James Witts* Mexico Edward Myers VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY Richard Gilder Graduate School Student or Postdoctoral Fellow Mexico Charles S. Spencer * India Laurel Kendall + Explore21 Expedition Cuba George Amato Laos Stephanie Loria* Belize Frank T. Burbrink, Neil Duncan, Eleanor Hoeger, Melissa Ingala*, Ana Pavan, Nancy B. Simmons, Kelly Speer* Vietnam Mary E. Blair Cambodia Stephanie Loria* UNITED STATES Benin Jerry Huntley, Paul Sweet Panama Rae Wynn-Grant Sri Lanka Nathalie Goodkin Alaska Peter M. Whiteley James M. Carpenter, Amy Davidson French Guiana Pio Colmenares Kenya Ashley S. Hammond Malaysia Stephanie Loria* Arizona Jerome G. Rozen, Corey Smith Ecuador Alejandro Arteaga Jon Merwin, Kaiya Provost*, Brian T. Smith Democratic Republic of Congo Elizabeth Alter, Melanie L.J. Stiassny Indonesia Susan L. Perkins Peter M. Whiteley Arkansas Paul Nascimbene Peru John J. Flynn, Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi, Julia Tejada-Lara* Indonesia Laurel Kendall California Nicholas Tailby* Malawi Lorenzo Prendini Florida Richard Baker, John Gatesy Solomon Islands Joe McCarter Peter Capainolo Cheryl Y. Hayashi Madagascar Christopher J. Raxworthy Georgia David Hurst Thomas Tahiti Eleanor J. Sterling Hawaii Eleanor J. Sterling Montana Neil H. Landman, James Witts* South Africa Lorenzo Prendini Nevada Ned Horning New Mexico Jon Merwin, Kaiya Provost*, Brian T. Smith Peter M. Whiteley Argentina Felicity Arengo New York Peter Capainolo Mark E. Siddall, Michael Tessler* Nicholas Tailby* South Dakota Neil H. Landman, James Witts* Texas Jon Merwin, Kaiya Provost*, Brian T. Smith Utah Melanie J. Hopkins Lucas Moreira*, Paul Sweet Washington, D.C. Peter M. Whiteley Wyoming Jianye Chen*, Alexandra Fernandes, John J. Flynn, Camille Grohe*, Neil H. Landman, Octavio Mateus, Carl Mehling, Mark A. Norell, Emanuel Tschopp, Z. Jack Tseng Antarctica Jin Meng Lucas R. Moreira*, Paul Sweet Invertebrate Zoology Total collections Vertebrate Zoology 23,357,868 COLLECTIONS per division 4,422,837 34,158,257 Earth and Planetary Sciences 155,298 specimens and artifacts Ambrose Monell Cryo 27,089 11,621 1,187 Collection (Frozen Tissue) Anthropology collection items added collection items loaned visiting scholars hosted 117,728 540,433 Paleontology 5,564,095 4 AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 2018 ANNUAL REPORT 5 DECEMBER 2017 FEBRUARY 2018 RESEARCH more than Deadly Fungus May Be Infecting Snakes Worldwide HIGHLIGHTS: Even Cheetahs’ Ears Are Built for Speed 418 500 1 Frank T. Burbrink Select Publications Across Associate Curator Camille Grohé Five Divisions scientific publications species analyzed in a Museum amber specimen Research Associate comprehensive Tree of Life found to contain the first New research suggests that a fungal disease caused by John J. Flynn for Malaria parasites by fossil evidence that ticks Dean of the Richard Gilder Museum scientists fed on dinosaurs Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola can affect snake species worldwide. Graduate School and Frick Curator of Fossil Mammals JULY 2017 AUGUST 2017 FEBRUARY 2018 Three New “Club-tailed” Widely Used DNA Analysis Fast-flying Bats Researchers Recover The Giant North Carnivora Skull Shape New Model Predicts Cells Scorpions Identified Misses Microbial Species, are Split by Ocean an Ancient Nova American Vinegaroon? Depends on More Than That “Eat” Other Cells Study Finds Channel It’s Actually Seven Just Diet Lauren Esposito Michael M. Shara John Burns Different Species CUNY-Richard Gilder Graduate Michael Tessler Kelly Speer Curator Z. Jack Tseng Research Scientist, Sackler Institute for School Alumna Comparative Genomics Ph.D.-degree Candidate, Ph.D.-degree Candidate, Lorenzo Prendini Research Associate Lorenzo Prendini Richard Gilder Graduate School Richard Gilder Graduate Alexandros Pitti School Curator John j. Flynn Curator Postdoctoral Researcher Mercer R. Brugler Dean of the Richard Gilder Research Associate Graduate School and Frick Curator Eunsoo Kim of Fossil Mammals Associate Curator