Overview
An eye-opening look into the founding of the American Museum of Natural History and its original racial underpinnings From 1908 to 1933, the American Museum of Natural History launched more scientific field expeditions than at any other time in its existence. Sponsoring lavish trips to Africa and Central Asia, the museum filled its halls with artifacts and an aura of adventure, supported by some of New York City's most prominent men. All the while, the museum's then president, Henry Fairfield Osborn, attempted to use his adventurers' expeditions to fulfill a personal agenda: to propagate his belief in racial hierarchy. Palace of Deception uncovers the complicated legacy of three iconic figures of the American Museum: the preeminent explorer Roy Chapman Andrews; Carl Akeley, the pioneering taxidermist; and Osborn, the museum's president. Darrin Lunde tells the story of the American's Museum foundational years. Lunde also shows how the achievements of the museum's adventurers were used to introduce residents of New York to a version of the natural world endorsed by the museum's leader. Palace of Deception recreates some of the most celebrated, globe-trotting journeys from natural history's heyday. It also traces the larger, racially infused milieu that underwrote the golden age of exploration, uncovering the simmering anxieties about race behind the era's greatest adventures. It is a legacy that still haunts natural history institutions today.
Full Product Details
Author: Darrin Lunde ,
Malcolm Hillgartner
Publisher: Tantor
Imprint: Tantor
Edition: Unabridged edition
ISBN: 9798228793675
Publication Date: 06 January 2026
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Audio
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Availability: Not yet available
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.
Reviews
""A colorful, authoritative history... Even as he exposes the 'exploitative ideas and practices' that pervaded the museum's early days, Lunde acknowledges too the lasting treasure that shines as these men's legacy."" -- ""Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"" ""Gripping... A revelatory look at the deep influence of eugenics on the sciences."" -- ""Publishers Weekly (starred review)"" ""The rise of scientific racism takes on a new dimension in Lunde's stunning investigation."" -- ""Millions.com""
Author Information
Darrin Lunde is the mammal collection manager at the National Museum of Natural History. Previously, he worked at the American Museum of Natural History, where he led numerous field expeditions throughout the world. He lives in Maryland with his family. Malcolm Hillgartner has narrated over 175 audiobooks. He was named an AudioFile Best Voice of 2013. His work ranges from children's titles such as On the Blue Comet (AudioFile Best of 2011, Earphones), and Neal Stevenson's sci-fi epic REAMDE (Audible.com Best of 2011) to the biographies Kissinger (AudioFile Best of 2013, Earphones) and Cheever (AudioFile Best of 2009, Earphones). He is also an accomplished actor, writer, and musician. With his wife and partner, Jahnna Beecham, he has written over 130 books for teens and young readers, as well as the musicals Chaps! and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Musical, which have been produced in the U.S. and Canada.
