EPISODE · Apr 26, 2022 · 24 MIN
What Should The Carnegie Do With Human Remains?
from City Cast Pittsburgh · host City Cast
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History has a lot of weird wonders in its collection, but few have plagued management quite like the diorama “Lion Attacking a Dromedary.” It’s got a lot of inaccuracies, from the meshing of several Middle Eastern and North African cultures, to placements that reinforce violence, colonialism and misogyny. Modern curators struggle to even call it art — which was also the consensus in 1899 when industrialist Andrew Carnegie first acquired it for his new museum in Pittsburgh from a private collection being sold off in France. But more recently, scientists also discovered it contains human remains, likely acquired from the original taxidermists, who were well-known grave robbers. Museum director Gretchen Baker joins City Cast’s Megan Harris to talk about what comes next and what local patrons have had to say about it. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!
What this episode covers
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History has a lot of weird wonders in its collection, but few have plagued management quite like the diorama “Lion Attacking a Dromedary.” It’s got a lot of inaccuracies, from the meshing of several Middle Eastern and North African cultures, to placements that reinforce violence, colonialism and misogyny. Modern curators struggle to even call it art — which was also the consensus in 1899 when industrialist Andrew Carnegie first acquired it for his new museum in Pittsburgh from a private collection being sold off in France. But more recently, scientists also discovered it contains human remains, likely acquired from the original taxidermists, who were well-known grave robbers. Museum director Gretchen Baker joins City Cast’s Megan Harris to talk about what comes next and what local patrons have had to say about it. Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!
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What Should The Carnegie Do With Human Remains?
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