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Amazing origami ornaments adorn museum tree

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The American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree is 13-feet tall and covered with stunningly detailed origami ornaments. The tree's theme this year is "The Museum

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A koala ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Volunteers began folding in July to complete the 500 creations that will be displayed on the tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
Chimpanzee with banana ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

During the holiday season, volunteers will be on hand to teach museum visitors of all ages the art of origami paper folding. Past themes have included "Discovery," "Folding the Museum," "Fantastic Creatures: Mythic and Real," "Origami in Flight," "Under the Sea," "Pocket Posy," and "Origami Safari."

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
An octopus ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

The American Museum of Natural History Origami tree will be on display from November 21, 2011 through January 2, 2012.

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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A lion ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A Tyrannosaurus-rex dinosaur ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A kuehneosaurus ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree. The kuehneosaurus was a reptile from the Upper Triassic period with wing-like membranes that allowed it to glide through the air. It was a carnivore with powerful jaws, thin limbs and tail.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A lobster ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A triceratops ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
Horses made of paper.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A dimetrodon ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.The dimetrodon is said to have lived about 250 million years ago.

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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
Barracuda ornaments on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A gorilla ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A whelk ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree. A whelk is a type of marine snail.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A giraffe ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
An apatosaurus ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree. The Apatosaurus (formerly called Brontosaurus) was the first dinosaur ever assembled and mounted in the 1890s.

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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A spider ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A bald eagle ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A zebra ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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This ornament commemorates the end of the Space Shuttle Program.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A parrot ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A beetle ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A wooly mammoth ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A rabbit ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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A nautilus ornament.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A crab ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A blue whale ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree. The blue whale is the largest animal in the world.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A triceratops ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
An antelope ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A hummingbird with flower made in paper.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
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American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\D. Finnin
A flamingo ornament on the American Museum of Natural History's Origami Holiday Tree.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History

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AMNH\R.Mickens
A stibnite ornament, a duplicate of the American Museum of Natural History's stibnite specimen, the largest on public display in the world. The stibnite on display was likely formed some 130 million years ago when water heated by volcanic activity dissolved antimony and sulfur from surrounding rocks and flowed between layers of limestone, leaving a dense band of stibnite and occasional pockets containing long, elegant crystals.

Special feature: Holiday Season 2011
Special section: Eye on Parenting
American Museum of Natural History
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