
Step inside a savanna or view a lowland gorilla emerging from lush tropical foliage in the Hall of African Wildlife. Our detailed and realistic dioramas transport you to a water hole where a giraffe, two species of zebra, African buffalo, wildebeest, and warthog have gathered. In the shadow of a Baobab tree, gerenuks stand on their hind legs nibbling leaves while termites build their impressive mounds.
The hall’s 12 dioramas invite visitors to enter Africa’s wild biomes and see exotic animals, from carnivorous mammals to fascinating insects, up close. Scenes like a lowland gorilla emerging from lush tropical foliage and a pair of zebra duikers foraging in the undergrowth capture visitors’ imaginations.
Our dioramas represent the African continent’s four major life zones—savanna, rainforest, mountain, and desert—and the unique animals that call this amazing continent home.

Meet our Mammalogists
Learn about the Mammal Collection at the Museum
The Section of Mammals houses a research collection consisting of more than 118,553 specimens. The main collection is housed at the Edward O’Neil Research Center, about two miles from the main Carnegie Museum of Natural History building.
Taxonomic coverage includes 24 of the 26 living orders of mammals and 114 of the 136 Recent families. The collection includes 40 holotypes.
Blogs about Mammals
The Nose that “Sees”
by Lisa Miriello Despite the common name of the star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata), the 22 fleshy appendages at the end of its snout …Wolverine: Status Check For a Tournament Champion
by Pat McShea Technology has revolutionized the work of wildlife biologists, but among those who study wolverines, long waits for field-collected information …March Mammal Madness 2023: Learn and Win
by Patrick McShea What chance does a giant water bug have in a battle with a wolverine? During the next few days …World Pangolin Day 2023 – The Mysterious Brain Bone
by John Wible The third Saturday in February marks World Pangolin Day, celebrating the scaly anteater that is sometimes called the pinecone …