NEW YORK—The Theodore Roosevelt Murals at the American Museum of Natural History reopened to the public after two years of restoration last Saturday. Mural artist William Andrew Mackay first completed the works in 1935. He sought to capture significant aspects of Roosevelt’s public life as the 26th president of the United States and the 33rd governor of New York.
Theodore Roosevelt was a naturalist and respected as a conservationist president. An inscription at the museum features the Roosevelt quote: “The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets, which it must turn over to the next generation increased and not impaired in value.”
The Murals
The three murals can be found in the Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda at the museum. They are among the largest murals found in public buildings in New York, covering a total of 5,200 square feet.
“They are very fanciful in many ways, romanticized highlights of his life and his major event, but the important thing is Teddy Roosevelt as a president had a unique affinity for science and for nature,” said museum official Michael J. Novacek.
