Architecture and design of the American Museum of Natural History’s buildings

The original structure of the American Museum of Natural History was completed in the late 19th century by architects Calvert Vaux and J. Wrey Mould, known for their work on Central Park. The initial building featured a central gallery with a raised basement, three floors of exhibits, and arches under a steep slate roof.

This gallery, now known as the Grand Gallery, remains accessible and forms the core of the museum’s current layout, housing the Birds of the World, Primates, and the Wallach Orientation Center.

West and east wings were later added to the main building, designed by J. Cleaveland Cady, in a Romanesque style using pink brownstone and granite from New York’s Picton Island. The wings include distinctive turreted towers and additional exhibit halls.

• Architects: Calvert Vaux and J. Wrey Mould (Wing A), J. Cleaveland Cady (West and East Wings)
  
• Year: 1871 to 1899
  
• Architectural style: Victorian Gothic and neo-Romanesque

The New York State Memorial to Theodore Roosevelt is the main entrance hall AMNH, facing Central Park West. It honors the 26th president of the United States with scale and symbolism. It features a towering 60-foot-high Roman-style arch flanked by massive columns and sculptures of iconic American explorers.

Inside, the Memorial Hall consists of murals depicting milestones from Theodore Roosevelt’s life. This space functions as the museum's main entrance and connects to several exhibition halls. Roosevelt's legacy is explored through exhibits highlighting his lifelong conservation work.

• Architects: John Russell Pope
  
• Year: 1936
  
• Architectural style: Neo-classical with Roman influence

The Richard Gilder Center opened its gates to visitors in May 2023. The building’s organic, flowing form is inspired by natural geological processes, such as the movement of wind and water across landscapes and the shapes carved by melting ice. The structure’s curving interior was built using a shotcrete technique, (spraying concrete onto rebar without formwork), a method created by the AMNH’s Carl Akeley.

The building’s facade is clad in Milford pink granite, matching the museum’s main entrance on Central Park West, harmonizing it with the historic building. The five-story Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium serves as the focal point of the structure, with natural light from overhead skylights and multiple connected hallways leading to exhibitions, classrooms, and galleries across floors.

The Gilder Center blends science and architecture in a way that invites exploration and connection between nature, people, and space. Its form is both functional and symbolic, offering a dramatic and sensory-rich gateway into the Museum.

• Architects: Studio Gang, in collaboration with Reed Hilderbrand
  
• Year: 2023
  
• Architectural style: Organic Modernism

The Rose Center for Earth and Space is one of the most iconic architectural landmarks at the American Museum of Natural History. James Stewart Polshek designed it to replace the original Hayden Planetarium and reimagined it as a “cosmic cathedral.” At the heart of the design is a six-story glass cube that encloses a large 87-foot illuminated sphere, which appears to float in space. This structure, known as the Hayden Sphere, is a feat of engineering supported by an intricate system of trusses, rather than visible columns.

The glass walls and minimalist framing create a sense of openness and wonder, allowing natural light to flood the space during the day and making the glowing sphere visible at night. The design represents a fusion of science and architecture, transparent, accessible, and futuristic. Adjacent to the main structure is the Weston Pavilion, a 43-foot-high glass tower made of water white glass that is also an entrance to the museum and has additional exhibition space.

• Architects: James Stewart Polshek 
  
• Year: 2000
  
• Architectural style: Modern