Folks,
  I was in New York City last week and visited the American Museum of
Natural History.  They currently have a temporary exhibit on "Pearls".
The biology of pearls, the history of pearls, the paleontology of pearls,
perliculture (cultivating pearls), the gemology of pearls, the biology of
pearl forming mollusks, etc., etc.
  The exhibit is the creation of 4 curators from the American Museum and
the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.  The curators are Niel
Landman (paleontology - AMNH), Paula Mikkelsen (malacology - AMNH),
Rudiger Bieler (malacology - FMNH) and Bennet Bronson ( anthropology -
FMNH).  The exhibit will be at the American Museum until April 14, 2002.
After that it will travel to the Field Museum (not sure of the dates).
The exhibit draws upon the collections of these two institutions as well
as many other museums, private individuals, gem dealers, and such.
  If you are near one of thse institutions and if you have an interest in
malacology, see this exhibit.  I paid $25 for admission to the Museum, the
planetarium (next door) and the pearl exhibit.  For what I got it was some
of the nest money that I have invested.
  For those of you who regret having to leave the exhibit, or those of you
who just cannot get enough of it, these four curators have written a book
entitled Pearls: A Natural History.  It is well written and engaging.  The
soft-covered version was $29.95, the hard=covered version $49.95.  The
book is 232 pages long and lavishly illustrated.  It was worth the price,
especially in a day and age where few shell related books are being
produced for under $100.
  I believe that I have adequately expressed my enthusiasm for this
exhibit.  Again, if you are in or near NYC or Chicago, see the exhibit.
If not, take a trip.  I traveled 360 miles to see the exhibit...I don't
regret going.  I also went to a Broadway play but the Museum was better
:-)
  If you can't get to the exhibit (and unfortunately, from what I
understand, it will not become a traveling exhibit when its closes in
Chicago) get the book.

Regards,
Charlie
******************************************************************************
Charlie Sturm, Jr
Research Associate - Section of Invertebrate Zoology
                     Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA
Assistant Professor - Family Medicine

[log in to unmask]