HOUSTON, TX—The Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) is set to host a captivating new exhibition that delves into the artistry and enduring impact of one of the world’s most exceptional and treasured books, notable for its rarity and grand scale.
Spanning the years 1827 to 1838, John James Audubon’s Birds of America emerged as a groundbreaking publication. Crafted by Audubon (1785-1851), this monumental work gained global acclaim for its ambitious scope and stunning, life-sized depictions of birds.
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Opening to the public on March 8 at HMNS (with a members-only preview on March 7), Audubon’s Birds of America is a traveling exhibition from National Museums Scotland. It will feature 46 prints from their rare unbound collection, offering a remarkable chance to view a substantial portion of Audubon’s work in a single setting.
Comprising four volumes and 435 hand-colored prints, Birds of America represents the pinnacle of Audubon’s dream to document every bird species across North America. The work is renowned for its vivid, dynamic, and meticulously detailed illustrations. To capture the birds in their full size, the book required sheets nearly a meter long—yet even this wasn’t enough for some larger species, which Audubon posed in creative, contorted arrangements to fit the page.
Unlike the rigid, lifeless bird illustrations of his peers, Audubon broke new ground by portraying birds in lifelike poses he observed in nature, sketching them on location with a keen eye for realism.
Often hailed as the archetypal American frontiersman, explorer, and naturalist, Audubon discovered over 20 previously unknown species. His depictions of the natural world rank among the most iconic in both art and science history.
Yet Audubon’s legacy is layered with complexity and contradiction, which the exhibition will explore. While celebrated as a legend, he also profited from enslaved labor and opposed abolitionism—facets of his life that have only recently gained scrutiny. His scientific credibility has also been questioned, with claims he invented certain species and misidentified others.
This touring exhibition from National Museums Scotland will also highlight Audubon’s ties to Edinburgh’s late-Enlightenment scientific and artistic circles, where the publication of Birds of America began. He made six trips to the city, including research visits to what is now the National Museum of Scotland. The exhibit will connect his story to the present, examining the conservation status of species featured in his work.
"Audubon’s Birds of America will transport our visitors to the vibrant world of John James Audubon and the wildlife of America as he personally witnessed in the early 1800s. Visitors will explore his greatest achievements, and the enduring complexities of his legacy, through the lens of his ‘Great Work’ – the rarest, most beautiful, and most valuable volumes ever produced,” said HMNS President and CEO, Joel A. Bartsch. “This exhibition presents a rare opportunity to experience the awe-inspiring details, vibrantly colored images, and life-sized renderings that Audubon singlehandedly willed into being through his unbridled creativity, matchless ambition, and indefatigable efforts.”
The exhibition opens March 8. For ticket details or further information, visit www.hmns.org or call (713) 639-4629.
Audubon’s Birds of America is a collaboration between National Museums Scotland and the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
Lead funding comes from the John P. McGovern Foundation in memory of Kathrine G. McGovern, with additional support from Woodforest National Bank.
