#DioramaChallenge

NHM's celebrated diorama halls capture nature in painstaking detail. They each portray breathtakingly realistic scenes of wildlife in their natural habitats, whether it's a herd of moose in Alaska, a polar bear family in the frozen Arctic, a herd of elephants in Africa, or hippos snoozing by a pond.

Not only are these dioramas iconic for their captivating presence at the Museum, but also for their contributions to pop culture—from Sheryl Crow's "If It Makes You Happy" music video, to Honda's "Matthew Broderick's Day Off" commercial.

Now, we challenge you to recreate the magic at home.

The concept is simple: we are challenging our participants to recreate our classic diorama scenes with items found at home. To participate, all you have to do is:

  • See below for images of our dioramas
  • Create your own diorama photo using items found in your home....get creative!
  • Include an image of it side-by-side with the original NHM Diorama image
  • In your post include tag @NHMLA and #DioramaChallenge

Are you ready to take on the #DioramaChallenge?

Use the images below as your source for inspiration! 

NHM Diorama with American Black Bears
Picnic with this family of black bears (Ursus americanus) in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California.

 

NHM Diorama of Water Hole, in African Mammals Hall
Stop by a popular watering hole with these African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) near the Tana River, Kenya.

 

NHM Diorama with Hippopotamus
Take a dip with these hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) by the Athi River in Kenya.

 

NHM Diorama with American Bison
Make your home on the range with this herd of bison (Bison bison) grazing in front of the Big Horn Mountains in north central Wyoming.

 

NHM Diorama close-up of Bongo
Enjoy some shade like this bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus) in a bamboo forest belt of the Aberdare Mountains, Kenya.

 

NHM Diorama with Gray Wolves
Have a howling good time with these gray wolves (Canis lupus) overlooking Frazer River Canyon in British Columbia, Canada.

 

NHM Diorama with Greater Kudu
Hang out with this herd of greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) on the Laikipia Plateau in Kenya.

 

NHM Diorama with Stone Sheep
Stay cool like these Stone’s sheep (Ovis dalli stonei) by northern British Columbia’s Prophet River Country near Chadwick Mountain. 

 

NHM Diorama with Arabian Oryx
Take us on a trip with these Arabian oryxes (Oryx leucoryx) in Rub al Khali, southern Saudi Arabia.

 

NHM Diorama with Polar Bear
Stay frosty with these polar bears (Ursus maritimus) on Bylot Island off the northern end of Baffin Island in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

 

NHM Diorama with Moose
Chew the scenery with these moose (Alces alces) on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska.

 

NHM Diorama with Walrus
Chill out on some drift ice with these walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) in the Bering Sea near Saint Lawrence Island, Alaska.