Considered a master of her art, Margaret Tafoya was the last of the matriarchs of the early 20th century pueblo potters. Inspired by tales from her parents and grandparents, Margaret, as well as her mother, was known for her ability to make unusually large storage and water jars made in the tradition of her ancestors.

Born of Fire: The Pottery of Margaret Tafoya is the first ever east coast exhibition and features over 75 pieces created by Margaret and her mother, daughters, and rare early works from Santa Clara Pueblo from which Margaret was inspired.

Photo from Margaret Tafoya: A Tewa Potter's Heritage and Legacy by Mary Ellen and Laurence Blair.

Exploring the Arctic Seafloor: Photographs by Chris Linder
Through January 25, 2009
Third Floor Alcove

Embark on an expedition to the bottom of an ice-covered ocean – thirty photographs and other media take you on an icebreaking ship through the frozen Arctic world, and give you a first-ever look at mysterious undersea mountains near the North Pole.

Deep beneath Arctic ice and miles of sunless water lie what are arguably the remotest places on earth: awe-inspiring ranges of unexplored volcanic mountains more foreign than the surface of Mars. But recently, an international team led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution set out to plumb the secrets of this Arctic seafloor.

Color photographs, a computer kiosk, and a 3-D model of underwater mountains portray this expedition’s quest, its exploratory equipment, and the extraordinary work of the scientists aboard the ship.

Insects, Ink & Inklings: Illustrations by Jane Hyland
Through December 2008
Third Floor Exhibits Foyer

Jane Hyland, scientific preparator and illustrator for Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Section of Invertebrate Zoology, will be exhibiting her most recent artwork examining the complex and fascinating anatomy of moths.

In addition to these works, moth specimens from the collection will be on display in five wall-mounted insect cases which will juxtapose Hyland’s scientific illustrations with the research moth specimens, which were collected from many parts of the world.

Arresting Arrangements - Photos by Craig Cutler
Extended through Fall 2008
Entrance Gallery

This exhibit features 20 large-scale photos by New York photographer Craig Cutler. Craig documented the remounting of Carnegie Museum of Natural History dinosaurs last year at Phil Fraley Productions. Craig’s photos capture the curious juxtaposition of dinosaur parts and human intervention as still life. Many of the photos include the rigging apparatuses for staging and re-posturing the multitude of fragile fossil parts.

Time Machines: Watches from the H.J. Heinz Collection
Extended through December 2008
Wertz Gallery, Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems

Pittsburgh ketchup and sauce magnate H.J. Heinz (1844-1919) amassed an extensive collection of timepieces during his lifetime. These chronometers offer an array of incredible artistry and amazing mechanical ingenuity.

Through this collection, it is possible to study the evolution of watches as machines, tracing the steps in development from portable sundial to more modern sophisticated mechanical watches. Examples include a gold mechanical “repeating watch” with figures that strike the hour; a watch owned by Lord Nelson, the hero of the Battle of Trafalgar; and a music box watch with a feathered singing bird.

The Heinz Collection is regarded as one of the most important timepiece collections in the United States. H.J. Heinz donated the collection to Carnegie Museum of Natural History in 1917.

For tens of thousands of years, humans have had an amazing and enduring relationship with the horse. We have preyed upon them, worshipped them, domesticated them, and shaped them into “animated machinery.” In turn, the horse has helped shape human cultures, revolutionizing the way we worked, waged war, traveled, engaged in sports, and soothed our souls.

From paleontology to anthropology, worship to warfare, evolutionary biology to equestrianism, and genetics to biomechanics, the American Museum of Natural History’s new exhibition Horse is a complex and fascinating story that will truly show audiences the spectacular depths of our relationship with this majestic animal, enthralling and delighting visitors of all ages. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Anthropologist Dr. Sandra Olsen was a lead curator of the exhibit.