Martha, a Passenger Pigeon

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Object Details

Author

Unknown

Subject

United States National Museum

National Museum of Natural History (U.S.)

National Collections

Cincinnati Zoo

Notes

Martha is no longer on exhibit. See also MNH-917 close-up for a closer view.

Summary

A passenger pigeon Martha (named after Martha Washington), the last survivor of an American species that numbered in the millions prior to the 1880's, died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914. Her body was donated to the Smithsonian Institution and brought to the United States National Museum, now the National Museum of Natural History, for permanent preservation. Mounted in a display case with this notation: "MARTHA, last of her species, died at 1 p.m., 1 September 1914, age 29, in the Cincinnati Zoological Garden. EXTINCT", this bird documents an unhappy chapter in the conservation of wildlife.

Contained within

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 416, Box 1, Folder 4

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

1967

Standard number

SIA2010-0612 and MNH-917

Restrictions & Rights

No restrictions

Type

Photographic print

Exhibit

Physical description

Number of Images: 1; Color: Black and white; Size: 8w x 10h; Type of Image: Animal, Exhibit; Medium: Photographic print

Place

North America

Data Source

Smithsonian Archives - History Div

Topic

Birds

Cincinnati

Exhibitions

Extinct birds

Martha (Animal)

Ornithology

Passenger Pigeons

Taxidermy

Zoological Gardens

Zoological specimens--Collection and preservation

Metadata Usage

Usage conditions apply

Record ID

siris_sic_11640