Cuba

Close-up of a coral reef diorama featuring models of a hawksbill sea turtle and fish © AMNH/M. Shanley
This immersive exhibition—fully bilingual in English and Spanish—presents the surprising and extraordinary sights, sounds, and experiences of Cuba.

Its complex politics and vibrant culture have attracted the attention of the world. But Cuba, the largest island nation in the Caribbean, is also home to the unexpected. It’s a place of stunning contrasts: mysterious caves and bright boulevards, sweltering fields and cool forests, hard challenges and high energy. 

Meet its people, explore its landscapes, encounter its unique species, and come away with new perspectives on this intriguing country.

Highlights

A colorful open boulevard, evoking an urban street in Cuba, acts as a central hub for the exhibition, connecting a series of galleries that each present a unique topic. Spectacular dioramas, lifelike models, fossil casts, digital interactive displays, and hands-on games showcase some of Cuba's most extraordinary highlights.

A coral reef diorama features many colorful fishes and a hawksbill turtle
A spectacular open coral reef diorama includes a hawksbill turtle, tiger shark, and spotted eagle ray.
R. Mickens/© AMNH
A woman and two children play Cuban dominoes at a table in the exhibition's central boulevard
Visitors can try their hand at the popular Cuban version of dominoes. 
D. Finnin/© AMNH
A recreation of a long boulevard in Havana includes colorful painted exterior walls, a bicitaxi and an organic fruit cart.
A colorful open boulevard emulates the vibrant streets of urban Cuba.
D. Finnin/© AMNH
Visitors use a touchscreen monitor to project artwork on the wall
Visitors can learn about Cuban fine arts and artists with a digital interactive art gallery.
R. Mickens/© AMNH
Exhibition visitors look at a 39 inch tall model of a giant owl standing in a recreated cave environment with its wings outstretched
The exhibition includes a 39-inch-tall, life-sized model of Cuba's extinct giant owl, Ornimegalonyx, the largest owl that ever lived.
R. Mickens/© AMNH

Key Questions

  • What is Cuba?
  • What makes Cuba's biodiversity unique?
  • Who are the Cuban people?
  • How are Cubans conserving their country's biodiversity?

Reviews

"An entire kaleidoscope of Cuban life has been created."
— The New York Times

"Comprehensive attention to Cuba's richly biodiverse landscape."
— Science

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Cuba Educator's Guide

Educator's Guide

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Cuba is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (amnh.org) in collaboration with the Cuban National Museum of Natural History.