Back when I lived in Pennsylvania, I traveled to New York City many times, usually for political rallies, demonstrations, protests etc (I've been arrested for civil disobedience at Wall Street and the UN Building). Only once did I go to the Big Apple as an ordinary run-of-the-mill tourist---two day trips with my sister and her kids. These are some photos I took doing touristy things at the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the American Museum of Natural History.
I confess I was a tad disappointed with the AMNH. Much of its floor space is taken up with endless halls of taxidermy mounts, with wildlife from all over the world. Such exhibits may have had their purpose in the 19th century, when zoos were rare, TV was nonexistent, and such displays were the only means people had of seeing any of the exotic animals that lived all around the world. But today, there is no useful purpose for them, and at over 100 years old, most of them are showing their age. It's time for them to be replaced.
The Museum is also not very photographer-friendly. The vast majority of the exhibits are dimly lit and behind glass, a combination that makes them very difficult to photograph--at least without a tripod, and it's hard to maneuver a tripod around all the people.
Don't get me wrong--the fossil exhibits are extensive and very interesting, as are the various displays of native cultures from around the world. And the astronomy exhibit was also nicely done. The museum is well worth spending a day to see. But I think it's time the AMNH gets a facelift.
Manhattan skyline.
The original torch, on display at the museum inside the pedestal.
Approaching Ellis Island by boat.
Main floor, Ellis Island. It would have been crammed with desks and lines of immigrants.
American Museum of Natural History, rotunda.
American Museum of Natural History, Hall of Astronomy.
Iron meteorite.
Maya artifacts.
Aztec sun calendar