UPPER WEST SIDE — The 13-foot holiday tree on display at the American Museum of Natural History eschews traditional red and green balls and string-light decorations — instead opting for nearly 1,000 handmade pieces of origami.
The designs were selected based on creatures and specimens from the museum's permanent collection, and inspired by its current and upcoming exhibits, including "The Secret World Inside You," "Life at the Limits" and "Dinosaurs Among Us," which is opening this spring.
The tree has been part of the museum's holiday celebrations for more than 40 years and is on view in the West 77th Street entrance lobby, said museum president Ellen Futter.
With its hundreds of origami ornaments, it's "one of the most extraordinary and beautiful holiday trees anywhere," she said.
American Museum of Natural History Origami Tree
The origami tree has been at the museum for more than 40 years.
Nearly 1,000 pieces of origami decorate the tree
The tree features all sort of creatures, from dinosaurs to butterflies.
The tree will remain at the museum through January
Erica, 4, came to see the tree on Monday, NOv. 23, 2015.
Titanosaur origami
A Titanosaur hangs from the tree. Next year, the museum will have a Titanosaur fossil as part of its collection.
Bacteria-inspired origami
The organization Origami USA created a tooth with bacteria, an example of a microbiome that's the focus of a new museum exhibit, "The Secret World Inside You."