Fabricating Wilderness

A spirited guide to the century-old diorama halls at Los Angeles Natural History Museum, where habitats across the globe merge The diorama halls at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) are among the oldest in the world, captivating Angelenos and tourists alike for over a century. Its immersive habitats range from the windswept ice of Greenlands musk ox to the quiet bamboo forests of Kenyas bongo antelope. Fabricating Wilderness, a PST ART project, is the first book to explore the art, science and history of NHMs remarkable habitat groups. Drawing upon new research, this behind-the-scenes tour is illustrated by both contemporary photographs and archival images. It takes readers through the origin of dioramas and the turbulent early history of NHMs halls, while also introducing the gifted artists who painted picturesque background murals and meticulously recreated every natural detail. Even at 100 years old, the story of NHMs dioramas is not over.