Occupying four square blocks on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, this museum has long been one of the brightest jewels in New York City’s cultural crown, attracting visitors from all across the globe. Its exhibits cover an enormous range of subjects, including anthropology, biology and evolution, paleontology, and all manner of natural sciences. Particularly iconic objects include the life-size replica of a blue whale hanging from the ceiling; the world's largest gem-quality blue star sapphire; and a 63-foot long wooden canoe carved by the Native American tribes of the northwest coast.

In addition to its exhibit halls, the museum boasts numerous other facilities for education and research. These include a reference library containing many rare books, a number of scientific laboratories, and several theaters, including the famous “Space Show” in the Hayden Planetarium.

The logo of AMNH has gone through a number of changes over the years, with the current incarnation dating from at least 2007. While its colors are variable, depending on the context in which it appears, the form is always the same; a stylized human being inside an incomplete circle. In broad strokes, the image bears a distinct resemblance to the famous “Vitruvian Man” drawing by Leonardo da Vinci.