University of Kansas museum marks panorama's anniversary

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - The University of Kansas Natural History Museum is celebrating the 125th anniversary of a panorama with special exhibits and programs.

The wildlife panorama includes a painted backdrop and 121 taxidermy animals native to North America, the Lawrence Journal-World reported. Louis Lindsay Dyche unveiled the exhibit in 1893 at the Chicago World's Fair, and the attraction saw about 20,000 visitors daily near the end of the event.

The diorama gave visitors an immersive experience of America's wilderness and highlighted the importance of preservation and stewardship, said Leonard Krishtalka, the director of the university's Biodiversity Institute.

"It was an incredible hit right from the very beginning, because the world had never seen anything like this panoramic representation of nature with so many animals with this terrific art of taxidermy, with a path through the panorama that families could walk and get up close and personal with all these animals," Krishtalka said.

The museum's new exhibit includes artifacts and photographs from Dyche's career. The museum will also host a series of panorama-themed events.

The museum also hopes to restore the panorama to its original condition, Krishtalka said. A 2014 assessment estimates that it would cost $500,000 to repair deterioration caused by changing temperatures, light and humidity.

The restoration efforts are part of a larger move to update the panorama and the museum, Krishtalka said.