American Museum of Natural History has Tikis

I went to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City to see the Dinosaurs. They were amazing, but I was even more blown away when I happened upon the Pacific Peoples exhibition. I walked into the hall, towards the back was a huge Easter Island Moai. (insert chorus here). I am a huge tiki fan, I immediately went towards the sculpture and gave him a big hug. The exhibit is a must-see for any tiki collector. Check out photos on my blog http://populuxebooks.com/blog/index.php/2006/09/27/american_museum_of_natural_history_tikis

[ Edited by: populuxe 2006-09-28 15:11 ]

I saw that link on your blog yesterday! How big is the collection there? Is it pretty much covered in the photos on your blog, or is there more?

What do you think that Moai is made out of. Its not real is it. Looks to perfect in surface and coloring.

Thanks for checking out my blog. There are hundreds of tikis and carvings you will be drooling over! The Moai is huge! I believe he is the real deal, solid lava rock. It was amazing!

The natural history museum does have a very large collection of south pacific art. To my wife's chagrin, I spent some time in the rather out-of -the-way exhibit trying to photgraph as much as I could for carving reference. The artifacts are all the real deal with a sample from just about every island nation in the south pacific. They had quite a few PNG masks, marquesin tikis, and maori carvings. I'll see if I can post pics in a bit.

The Moai is not the real deal, I don't believe it's even lava rock. I remember it sounding more plastic-y when I knocked on it.

I asked my friend who has been to Easter Island to look at the pix and he said if he had to guess, he would say it's a fake. However, he thinks he read an article about it and apparently, it is real and although one of the smaller Moai from Easter Island it is very rare, because it is one of the only ones removed from the island.

If it's in a museum and they let you touch it, it's probably not the real thing.

But that begs the question - are there any actual moai on display outside of Rapa Nui? If so, where?

There is one at the Smithsonian museum of natural history in Washington, D.C. This is what it looked like a couple of years ago.

[ Edited by: Fugu 2006-10-18 17:08 ]

Thanks, Fugu - now that bugger really looks like he's been sitting outside for a couple hundred years. I'd tend to believe he's the real thing.

On 2006-10-17 23:30, Koolau wrote:
are there any actual moai on display outside of Rapa Nui? If so, where?

The Moai in the museum in NYC is fake.

I was there in May and photographed it extensively.

Populuxe is right about one thing - the Pacific Islands wing in the museum is pretty amazing.

As for Koolau's question... well, let's just say that you may want to cross your fingers for Big Stone Head to get published already (if for no other reason than so the rest of you can have the relief of hearing me stop whining about it), and your question will be answered in a LOT of detail, with photos, dates, locations...

On 2006-10-17 23:30, Koolau wrote:
If it's in a museum and they let you touch it, it's probably not the real thing.

But that begs the question - are there any actual moai on display outside of Rapa Nui? If so, where?

There is a very famous one in the British Museum called Hoa Hakananai'a, which is beautifully carved. I guess most of the in-situ ones on the island looked this good before the ravages of time and weather took their toll. I have a book they published on him :

We have one here in NZ too at Otago Museum, only a baby and not a particularly flash specimen, especially compared to the chap above, but it is the real deal apparently:

(Pics are linked)

[ Edited by: Paipo 2007-04-23 01:21 ]

Paipo and tikibars - thanks for the info, and especially for the photo of Hoa Hakananai'a - that is a remarkable moai.

Natural History
Journal of The American Museum of Natural History
May 1935

Mystery Island of the Pacific

These are most of the images from the article. The text was standard history and information.

On 2006-09-28 15:10, populuxe wrote:
I went to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, towards the back was a huge Easter Island Moai. (insert chorus here). I am a huge tiki fan, I immediately went towards the sculpture and gave him a big hug...

YOU DUM DUM!!! GIMME GUM GUM...

On 2006-10-18 17:02, Fugu wrote:
There is one at the Smithsonian museum of natural history in Washington, D.C. This is what it looked like a couple of years ago.

[ Edited by: Fugu 2006-10-18 17:08 ]

Here he is last Wednesday. He's been moved to the Constitution Street entrance.

As you can see, the information plaques are somewhat smaller. :roll: Was on a class trip with my son, so I didn't get to see if there was anything else in the museum.

The Moai formerly at the LA Natural History Museum has been sent there, a Museum staffer told me.
Vary sad. I had not been there in about a decade, and was looking forward to seeing it again.
A sad loss:
http://www.zazzle.ca/moai_statue_at_the_la_natural_history_museum_postcard-239012686820115239

[ Edited by: christiki295 2012-12-22 17:57 ]