Creatures of Light: Nature’s Bioluminescence

Explore the extraordinary diversity of organisms that produce light, from flickering fireflies found in backyards worldwide to rarely seen deep-sea fishes and other fantastic creatures that illuminate the perpetually dark depths of the oceans.
Creatures of Light Exhibition Walkthrough
Learn how and why so many organisms glow. Visit other-worldly environments complete with customized soundscapes, including a digitally interactive dinoflagellate “blue lagoon” and an extraordinary fluorescent coral reef where visitors can navigate the habitat through touchscreens.
Throughout the exhibition, visitors can delve deeper into the science of bioluminescence at interactive iPad stations.
D. Finnin/© AMNH
D. Finnin/© AMNH
D. Finnin/© AMNH
D. Finnin/© AMNH
D. Finnin/© AMNH
Reviews
“I felt as if I was in a dream and was curious to touch, see, learn and explore the many interactive stations, cool displays, and dimly lit spaces glowing with bioluminescence” – National Geographic
“A thoroughly engrossing exhibition…teaches us quite a bit about the phenomenon. Yet it still manages to preserve that otherworldly mystery, even cherishing it” – The New York Times

Exhibition Brochure

Educator’s Guide
Creatures of Light: Nature's Bioluminescence is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (amnh.org) in collaboration with The Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada, and The Field Museum, Chicago.