The Alfred M. Bailey Library and Archives

Image Archives is the official storehouse for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science’s 700,000 images. It collects, preserves and makes available photographs and moving images relating to the museum, its history and staff.

[dmnsimagearchives]

Stereo Card

2nd Period Chemistry, 1935-1936, May 1936

Image Archives Collection

Willet R. Willis

IV.2013.10-31.P

When used with a Stereoscope, a stereo card produced a 3D image and were very popular from the 1850s to the 1930s.  This card depicts a high school Chemistry class from 1936.  Interestingly, this Chemistry class has four female students.  All of the students have been identified by the owner of the card.

  1: Ben Boling

2:Carl Hetsler

3: Gerald Ryan

4: John Magee

5: Henry Morns

6: John Easter

7:Barbara Peterson

8: Lawrence Hall

9: Harold Walsh

10: Ava Burrows

11: Carl Stevens

12: Jane Trapp

13: Ralph Henry

14: Maurine Walker

15: Henry LeBaron

16: Carl Heidelberg

17: Donald Lipinski

18: James Brechersen

19: Edward Johnson

[dmnsimagearchives]

And thus the move beings...

Here I am helping our Archivist, Sam Schiller, move into our new collections storage space. 

[dmnsimagearchives]

Marshall is visiting his friend, the Terminator Pig in Prehistoric Journey. 

[dmnsimagearchives]

Museum Selfie Day!

Today is #museumselfie day.  Museum visitors, staff, and mascots from all over the world will be taking part to raise awareness of the great collections being housed by museums all over the world!  Here's a particularly good selfie our mascot, Marshall!  I wonder how a t-rex managed to do a selfie in the first place?

[dmnsimagearchives]

Wandering Scientist

We would like to wish Dr. Richard Stucky a very Happy Retirement! 

[dmnsimagearchives]

A Very Merry Christmas from all of us in the DMNS Image Archives!

Marshall thought he caught someone trying to break into the museum.  Turns out it was just Santa Claus coming to visit. 

[dmnsimagearchives]

A film from our archives has been nominated for "Colorado's Most Significant Artifacts." It is a 35mm nitrate silent film depicting the discovery of the 1st projectile point in mammoth ribs in Colorado. Please vote for it here: https://collectioncare.auraria.edu/content/vote-colorados-most-significant-artifacts#overlay-context=content/colorados-10-most-significant-artifacts

[dmnsimagearchives]

Happy Birthday Smilodon!

My good friend Smilodon lives in the lobby here at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  He recently celebrated his 40th birthday and many kind people signed his card!  We were lucky enough to receive his birthday card as part of our collection in our Archives.  I am wearing my gloves to make sure that the card is preserved for future generations.

The next time you visit us, put a coin in Smilodon's mouth to hear him roar.

[dmnsimagearchives]

Tapir Diorama

From 1925 to around 2000, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science was home to several dioramas depicting South American animals and scenery.  These dioramas were taken down when construction began on the West Atrium.  While the dioramas themselves no longer exist, the Photo Archives department at DMNS takes great care to ensure that images from the museum's past are saved for the future. 

Thanks to a grant from NEH, we are now trying to make these and many more images available to the public.  Follow us and keep an eye out for more exciting images from our collections!

[dmnsimagearchives]

Here I am inspecting a replica of Lascaux Cave that was once on display in the Ancient People's Hall at DMNS.  I have the coolest job ever!

[dmnsimagearchives]

SNO2010 1105-75

Ever wonder how they get heavy fossils out of the field and into a museum.  Like this!

[dmnsimagearchives]

Boy on Horse

Taken on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, the young boy on horseback is identified as Harry With-Horns and a member of the Sioux nation.

  The Bratley Collection of photographs and artifacts was purchased from the Bratley family by Mr. & Mrs. Crane in 1961 and is kept as part of the Crane Collection at the  museum.

  © DMNS, IV.BR61-169, Photographer: J.H. Bratley

Boy on horse. Handwritten on back of print: "Harry With-Horns, Rosebud S. Dak."

  Gelatin dry plate

  1895-1899

[dmnsimagearchives]

An unidentified couple (possibly Muriel Bailey and Henry Wichers "Inchumuk") takes in the view of Cape Nelson in Victoria, Australia. The Denver Museum of Natural History sponsored several expeditions to Australia and the South Pacific during the 1940s and 1950s so some of our curators and employees could learn more about the animals and culture of the region. Their research led to the creation of the South Pacific diorama halls which are still on display today.

© DMNS, IV.BA2013-053, Photographer: Alfred M. Bailey A man and woman looking Cape Nelson in Victoria, Australia.

35mm Kodachrome Slide

1940-1950s

[dmnsimagearchives]

[dmnsimagearchives]

The Library and Archives staff's first meeting with our newest member, Marshall.

[dmnsimagearchives]

This diorama of a Saber Tooth cat attacking a Ground Sloth stuck in a tar pit was on display in the Ancient Mammals Hall.  We have nicknamed the Ground Sloth Jeff and he currently resides in the Archives collection.     

  © DMNS, IV.2007.5.25.1.P

Ground Sloth and Saber Tooth Cat

8x10 Color Photograph

[dmnsimagearchives]

Kodachrome Thursday!

Two sailors and a Robert Niedrach, Chief Preparater and Curator of Birds at the Denver Museum of Natural History from 1913 - 1970,  are seen “studying” a bird on the beach.  Alfred M. Bailey described the birds a docile and so familiar with humans that you could just walk right up to them. 

© DMNS, BA49-717, Photographer Dr. Alfred M. Bailey

Two sailors and an unidentified man with a bird on Midway Island.

35mm Kodachrome slide

1949