For The Love Of Our Museum...

The History and Future of the Once-Revolutionary Taxidermy Diorama

Once hailed as cutting-edge science, taxidermy dioramas were the virtual reality machines of their day. In the early 20th century, museumgoers—most of whom would never set foot on the African savanna or Arctic tundra—suddenly found themselves face-to-face with lions, walruses, or moose, set in painstakingly painted landscapes.

These immersive displays marked a democratizing turn in museum culture. No longer reserved for elite, guide-led tours, the diorama allowed everyday visitors to experience nature and science directly. They blended art, science, and theater—much like an opera house or a gothic cathedral, designed to elicit awe in a darkened hall.

But today, dioramas face an uncertain future. Critics dismiss them as “dusty” or “super creepy.” Major institutions, like the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, have dismantled them, replacing habitat scenes with modern scientific displays. Others, like Yale’s Peabody Museum, are exploring VR headsets as the new frontier of immersion.

And yet, dioramas endure. The American Museum of Natural History spent $2.5 million restoring its world-famous halls in 2011, calling them masterpieces of both art and science. At Minnesota’s Bell Museum, curators argue that these time capsules still spark curiosity—especially for children raised on screens.

The stakes are even higher when we consider that many specimens are literally irreplaceable. Hyenas collected in Somalia in 1896 or WPA-era painted backgrounds created under New Deal programs cannot be recreated. As one curator put it, dismissing dioramas is like saying, “Why preserve the Mona Lisa? We could digitize that thing and see it better at home.”

What This Means for Milwaukee

This debate is no longer abstract for Milwaukee. As the Milwaukee Public Museum prepares its move, official documents make clear that not all exhibits will survive the transition. Under the 2025 Plan for Disposition, MPM has authority to sell or auction off non-accessioned exhibit property—items not formally held in Milwaukee County’s collection. In plain terms, some dioramas may be dismantled, sold, or discarded.

That possibility raises pressing questions about stewardship and transparency. Resolution 24-880, passed by the County Board, commits Milwaukee government to “maximize data transparency” and ensure that decisions are made in the public’s interest. How does auctioning off dioramas—once designed as public time machines—fit into that mandate?

The Choice Ahead

Dioramas were born from a spirit of accessibility, education, and wonder. They are more than display cases: they are historical documents, cultural artifacts, and often works of art. They represent the lives of animals that “gave their life to science and education,” as one curator put it.

As Milwaukee moves toward a new museum building—one the County will not own—the fate of these dioramas is a litmus test. Will they be treated as disposable relics, or preserved as irreplaceable heritage?

The answer will say much about whether our institutions see themselves as custodians of the past, or merely designers of the next attraction.

Learn More: The History and Future of the Once-Revolutionary Taxidermy Diorama Smithsonian Magazine. “The History and Future of the Once-Revolutionary Taxidermy Diorama.” Written by Menachem Wecker, October 11, 2016. Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ode-once-revolutionary-taxidermy-display-180960707/. Accessed September 25, 2025.