This marvellous museum is on Central Park West at 79th Street.

The museum is dedicated to President Theodore Roosevelt and some of his wise words are inscribed in four large tablets on the walls in the entrance hall. The size of the museum is intimidating. I had only an afternoon to 'do' the exhibits and was exhausted towards the end of the visit.  The galleries were very busy but then it was the holiday season. Avoid the museum if you don't like children. 

A mans usefulness depends upon his living up to his ideals in so far as he can.

It is hard to fail but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.

All daring and courage, all iron endurance of misfortune make for a finer nobler type of manhood.

Only those are fit to live  who do not fear to die and none are fit to die who have shrunk from the joy of life and the duty of life.

Theodore Roosevelt

T-Rex and Apatosaurus

Triceratops

I went to see:

the dioramas [amazing displays of animals against paintings by an artist James Perry Wilson. He managed to convey a sense of perspective that is all the more impressive for the concave construction of the background]

the meteorites, minerals, and gems exhibits where there is a real meteorite, lots of precious and semi-precious stones, including the Hope diamond; and the dinosaurs. I'd rather have gone there first and worked my way down the museum.

The introductory film is well-made and informative. The displays are laid out well and show the development of the species into the many diverse branches of  evolution.

Watch for a lady beside the Apatosaurus and T-Rex exhibits. She wears a sign around her neck, "Ask me about the dinosaurs", and is very helpful with answers to dino-questions. I can vouch for her knowledge of the Apatosaurus. When I go back I'll schedule a day for the new planetarium and butterfly sections.

American Museum of Natural History