Diorama People

The natural history diorama found in many museums around the world all trace their origins back to Sweden's Biological History museum that in 1893 was the first to create the once popular display. These models all attempt to show viewers a selected scene from nature by collecting and displaying many components of a particular environment in an effort to contextualize a “realistic you are there experience” for observers.

   Unfortunately, an untold number of animals have been killed purposely to inhabit these faux natural history displays.

The unique character of having large numbers of stuffed animals in “lifelike” poses all set within unnatural proximity to each other makes for a certain surrealistic environment encapsulated behind large sheets of glass.

   Designers have been creative with displays by depicting interactions of animals to emulate a moment froze in time illustrating aggressive behavior as well as idealistic “Disneyesque Bami moments” of peace and tranquility.

   When these displays need attention or maintenance, the people who work on them add an even more surrealistic experience for observers, if you are lucky enough to be on hand when workers enter these unnatural settings. These living interactions that you will be able enjoy are an element that the original designers had not intended as a part of their designs. Oddly, the interactions between the living and the dead form an odd juxtapositioning calling into question just who is on display. One can only fantasize too about the displays coming alive at night when no one is present.



Fight as they must, even the grizzlies need to be cleaned and combed from time to time. A dangerous profession.



Being observed while ignoring a moose. Remember never turn your back on a moose!



A friendly deer wondering what is going on after all these years.