NYC - AMNH: 2007 Origami Holiday Tree

The Origami Holiday Tree has marked the start of the holiday season at the American Museum of Natural History since the 1970's. The tradition began when the late Alice Gray, a curator in the Department of Entomology, wowed her co-workers by decorating a three-foot tree in her office with origami insects. The popularity, as well as the size, of the tree has grown steadily over the years.

The 2007 tree, on display from November 19, 2007 to January 1, 2008 in the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall, had the theme of Fantastic Creatures: Mythic and Real. Echoing the successful Mythic Creatures exhibition, this bountiful array of exotic creatures was created by some of the 1,600 members of OrigamiUSA. Mythic creatures such as dragons, mermaids, unicorns, as well as real animals like narwhals and peacocks hang from and surround the base of the tree. Volunteers begin folding in July to complete approximately 500 creations displayed on the tree.