Palace of Deception

"Palace of Deception" explores the American Museum of Natural History's dynamic and controversial era from 1908 to 1933, during which it undertook numerous scientific expeditions to Africa and Central Asia. Author Darrin Lunde delves into the intertwined lives of key figures like explorer Roy Chapman Andrews, pioneering taxidermist Carl Akeley, and museum president Henry Fairfield Osborn, revealing how their adventures contributed to a specific interpretation of the natural world and reflected the racial attitudes of the time. Through a captivating narrative, the book illuminates the profound and lasting impact of these explorations on both the museum and broader societal perceptions of nature and race.