James Hall Collection
Alvaro Keding/© AMNH
James Hall Jr. (1811-1898) was the preeminent geologist and paleontologist in North America in the 19th century. His career began in 1836, when he was hired to assist in the geological survey of New York State, and his 13-volume series, Palaeontology of New-York (published between 1847 and 1894) brought him international recognition.
Hall was an extraordinarily prolific author. Over his lifetime, he produced more than 1000 publications, totaling over 31,000 pages and illustrated with thousands of lithographic plates, figures and maps.
The American Museum of Natural History acquired approximately 100,000 specimens from Hall in 1875. He described large numbers of new species, and the collection today includes more than 5000 types and over 2500 figured specimens. Ongoing curation work continues to reveal additional significant material, and his collection continues to support research more than a century later.
Invertebrate Paleontology Collections Highlights
