Description: This intriguing exhibition brings to life one of the greatest trading routes in human history, showcasing the goods, cultures, and technologies from four representative cities: Xi'an, China's Tang Dynasty capital; Turfan, a verdant oasis and trading outpost; Samarkand, home of prosperous merchants who thrived on the caravan trade; and Baghdad, a fertile hub of commerce and scholarship that became the intellectual center of the era.

Venue Description:

Venue Description:

Venue Description: A museum for the 21st century, with a rich and storied past. It is one of the greatest natural history museums in the world, with over 40 exhibition halls. Highlights include the new Rose Center for Earth and Space featuring the most technologically advanced Space Show in the world, the dinosaur halls, the Akeley Hall of African Mammals, and the acclaimed Hall of Biodiversity. All visitors to New York, especially those with families, should make sure to see the sights at AMNH during their vacations in NYC.

Hayden Planetarium and Cullman Hall of the Universe Ensconced in the Rose Center for Earth and Space -- a seven-floor, $210 million exhibition, research, and education facility created to explore the journey from the inner workings of the Earth to the outer reaches of the universe? -- are the Hayden Planetarium, the namesake of its beloved, circa-1935 predecessor, and the Cullman Hall of the Universe. An awesome, celestial architectural marvel created by architect James S. Polshek -- an instant landmark featuring the largest suspended-glass curtain wall in America and the dramatic centerpiece, the 87-foot Hayden Sphere -- this state-of-the-art showcase explores such astronomical concepts as the size, age, and origins of the universe and the evolution of galaxies, stars, and planets through cutting-edge technology and instantaneous data and images. Highlights include: the Space Theater, offering dazzling space shows, virtual flights through the universe projected by the world's most advanced star projector by Zeiss; the Big Bang Theater, featuring a multi-sensory recreation of the first moments of the universe; the Scales of the Universe, an illustration of the vast range of size in the cosmos through relative comparison with the Sphere; the AstroBulletin, a large screen displaying up-to-date images, news and breaking events from current NASA missions; and the Heilbrunn Cosmic Pathway, a dramatic 360-foot walkway that leads visitors through 13 billion years of cosmic evolution as it descends around the Sphere. Enjoy Starry Nights, jazz performances in a magical setting, the first Fri. of every month. The Museum is open daily, 10:00 a.m.?5:45 p.m. The Museum is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Space Show Hours ? Monday-Friday: Every half-hour, 10:30 a.m.?4:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 10:30 a.m.?5:00 p.m. Museum Shop Hours ? The Museum Shop is open while the Museum is open, 10:00 a.m.?5:45 p.m. daily. Or visit our online shop 24/7. To get the most up to date information, please call (212) 769-5100.

Upcoming Events at American Museum of Natural History:

• Race to the End of the Earth - 05/29/10 - 01/02/11