As a child when my parents mentioned visiting D.C. and the Smithsonian for the first time, I immediately thought of the giant elephant in the rotunda of the National Museum of Natural History. What I didn’t realize was that there is an entire room at the museum filled with reconstructed and stuffed animals just like the elephant. Even more completely unknown to me at the time was that it is a career and hobby called taxidermy that produces the animals found in Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals.
Paul Rhymer is the taxidermist responsible for many of the animals in the hall, as was his father. Even though the Smithsonian no longer employs a full-time taxidermist, the art is regaining popularity in light of reality television shows such as Science Channel’s Oddities, Animal Planet’s American Stuffers, and where you may recognize Rhymer as a judge, AMC’s Immortalized.
Taxidermy is fascinating and requires artistic skill, meticulous work, and a love for science and conservation. To discuss his work in light of its boost in popularity Rhymer will be at the Smithsonian on June 24th, so in preparation I decided to roam the Hall of Mammals today.
Despite the number of field trips and families in the hall I decided to edge forward. I was shocked at how these animals are just as realistic looking to me as a young adult as they were when I was a child. There is no doubt in my mind that hours of detail-oriented and passionate work went into each and every animal. It was clear that each animal had been given special care and attention to ensure that its characteristics and appearance were as realistic as possible. I saw visitors gawking over the hippo with its mouth wide open, exposing its huge pointy teeth. All of the animals’ fur and skin were well taken care of with little sign of aging.
Looking at each of the animals, how they were positioned according to the scene they were a part of and the realistic nature of their appearance, I wondered exactly how much work went into each one. The pieces vary in size so it was clear that each takes a unique amount of work. A fifteen-foot giraffe that Rhymer worked on took three solid days of stitching.
I loved not only looking around the room at all of the animals, but also the people watching. Children, their teachers, and their parents alike all marveled at the works. You don’t have to be a 10-year-old boy visiting the National Museum of Natural History for the first time in order to enjoy the exhibit.
Walking through the hall, visitors can see two generations of handiwork. Some of Rhymer’s displays worth stopping to admire are the zebras that can be found at the watering hole (a favorite of many of the visiting children I saw), the large giraffe, the nursing oryx, and the wolf that is ready to pounce.
On Tuesday, June 24th you can take a walk through the Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals with Rhymer as he discusses his work in the museum. You can hear about the copious hours spent working and the elements that went into each animal from the creator himself. What better way to explore the exhibit, hear more about the fascinating process behind taxidermy and ask any questions you may have about the animals? Join the Smithsonian Associates for Paul Rhymer, Celebrity Taxidermist: Mounting Interest in a Lost Art.
Written by Emily Hines, social media intern at The Smithsonian Associates.
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