Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States New York State New York City Manhattan Indian Rhinoceros Diorama

Indian Rhinoceros Diorama

An eerie diorama that captures the majestic nature of a few prehistoric-looking beasts.

New York, New York

Added By
Mictlān Tēcutli
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Closeup of one of the rhinos.   Eden, Janine and Jim
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
  NComparato
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

This Place Is a Stub

Help improve this place with additional information or photos.

Make an Edit

About

These Indian rhinoceros, also known as the Greater one-horned rhinoceros may look like reconstructions of prehistoric beasts, but these are creatures that still inhabit our world. However, they are in danger of becoming a memory. 

The Indian rhinoceros was once native to several countries that comprised the region known as the Indo-Gangetic plain. This included large swaths of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Burma. Today, however, the rhinoceros is endangered and has sadly become extinct across the majority of the regions it once roamed. This is largely due to habitat loss, historic overhunting by trophy hunters, and ongoing illegal poaching.

Nevertheless, these herbivorous heavyweights still survive in the wild in low numbers; roaming the riverside forests and marshlands of Northern India and Southern Nepal. There, they are protected by armed patrols of forest rangers dedicated to protecting the species from being hunted to extinction.

The long term future of the rhino, however, is still very precarious. Diseases spread by domestic livestock and natural disasters also pose a threat to populations. To complicate matters further, the national parks of India and Nepal are surrounded by dense human populations and agricultural lands. These conditions can result in human-wildlife conflict. When rhinos venture from the parks and graze on crops or wander through towns, they frequently become stressed and can be prone to attack. 

This particular diorama was assembled, like the other displays of the Asian Hall of Mammals, in the late 1920s and viewable for the public in 1930. The pair of rhinoceros were collected by English explorers and naturalists, Arthur Vernay and John Faunthorpe on an expedition to Nepal much earlier in 1922. The scientists that formed the expedition team collected detailed notes on the flora of the habitat, which are reflected in the recreations exhibited in the rhino diorama.

Related Tags

Museums Dioramas

Know Before You Go

The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) is open from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. every day. Entrance is free, but it is strongly recommended to contribute a small donation to the museum to help with its upkeep and outstanding scientific work. The Indian rhinoceros diorama can be found in the Hall of Asian Mammals, where there are many other incredible dioramas to view. 

Community Contributors

Added By

Monsieur Mictlan

Edited By

wherearewedude

  • wherearewedude

Published

September 11, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Indian Rhinoceros Diorama
200 Central Park West
New York, New York, 10024
United States
40.781324, -73.973988
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Asiatic Leopard Diorama

New York, New York

miles away

African Elephants Diorama

New York, New York

miles away

Scavenger Taxidermy Diorama

New York, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New York

New York

New York

Places 406
Stories 90

Nearby Places

Asiatic Leopard Diorama

New York, New York

miles away

African Elephants Diorama

New York, New York

miles away

Scavenger Taxidermy Diorama

New York, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New York

New York

New York

Places 406
Stories 90

Related Places

  • Salama wa Banatha (Salama and her daughters).

    Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    Folklore Exhibit at the Sharjah Heritage Museum

    Dioramas retell the obscure local legends and ghost stories of Sharjah, from a living palm tree to a headless camel.

  • Life-size Diorama

    Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

    The British Consulate at Takow

    This historic 19th-century building was the center of British trade and diplomacy in Taiwan.

  • Labrador duck

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Extinct Bird Hall

    Venture into the past with an unlisted exhibit hall featuring extinct birds.

  • A view of the enormous centerpiece of African animals

    Ritzville, Washington

    Lasting Legacy Wildlife Museum

    A diorama lover's dream world.

  • Bywater Museum of Unnatural History

    New Orleans, Louisiana

    The Bywater Museum of Unnatural History

    Professional and amateur dioramas, taxidermy, and oddities all located in an attic above a gallery.

  • The Hundred Caves of Yoshimi

    Yoshimi, Japan

    The Hundred Caves of Yoshimi

    This ancient burial site was once thought to be the home of a race distinctive to Ainu folklore.

  • A small part of one of the largest dioramas, covering a large room in the exhibition.

    Mollina, Spain

    Museo Internacional de Arte Belenista (International Museum of Nativity Art)

    More than 70 detailed dioramas—including some rather nontraditional ones—fill this charming museum.

  • Collections of stamps, pens in Oficina Museu.

    São Miguel, Portugal

    Oficina Museu (Workshop Museum)

    One artist's collection of homemade handicrafts doubles as a monument to 20th-century material culture.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.