Sketching Congo

American Museum of Natural History scientists Herbert Lang and James Chapin left New York Harbour bound for the Belgian Congo (now: Democratic Republic of the Congo) on May 8, 1909. They returned home more than 5 years later after amassing one of most comprehensive African natural history collections ever assembled.

Lang took 10,000 photographs and Chapin made 300 field sketches of specimens. Many of these were later published in scientific journals. Chapin was destined to become Ornithological Curator back at the museum.




The American Museum of Natural History have a wonderful and comprehensive exhibtion featuring not only Chapin's sketches but also numerous galleries, historic maps, photographs, diaries, essays and anthropological features to name but a few. This is a first rate site.