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Scaly Fun - and Crowds - at the American Museum of Natural History
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 25, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 25, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Gothamist decided that it we could put aside a fear of scaly creatures and see the American Museum of Natural History's Lizards & Snakes: Alive! exhibit - as long as there would be plexiglass between us and the animals. And many other people had the same idea - the exhibit was full of families and especially excited children trying to get the attention of the lizards and snakes. The exhibit space is made up many different displays with all sorts of lizards and snakes (ALIVE!) inside. And the displays are also interactive, some with the sounds a snake will make when aggravated or video cameras for you to see where a gecko might be. Just be warned that seven year olds are really fast and rarely want to give up control of the video cameras controller.
The animals featured include the basilisk (the kind of lizard that can walk on water), blue tongued skink, water monitor lizard, and the insanely huge Burmese Python. Our favorite would have to be the bizarre leaf tailed gecko, which has a broad, flat tail and can look very much like tree bark.
If you go, keep this in mind: The AMNH charges for museum admission plus admission to exhibits. Your ticket could cost upwards of $20 (discounts are available for students with a valid ID, seniors, children, and there are various saver deals if you choose to see more than two exhibits), so give yourself time to explore the exhibit and the museum as a whole. Some ways to save are to become a member or find out if a friend who works at a big company gets a discount - make a date of it!
Photograph at top is of a beautiful Cuban Knight Anole
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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