Science & Society

Do science dioramas still have a place in today’s museums?

Many exhibit experts believe they still have value but need reimagining

A child runs across the glossy floor in front of the bison diorama at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles.

The bison diorama at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles may look placid, but a closer look rewards viewers with a complex ecological tale.

Insa Hagemann/laif/Redux

By Amber Dance

Read another version of this article at Science News Explores

At first glance, it’s a simple scene.