Ornithology in Peale's Museum.

The article focuses on the ornithological contributions of Charles Willson Peale (1741–1827) and the development, expansion, and eventual dispersal of his bird collection housed in Peale’s Museum. It reveals that Peale, often overshadowed by Alexander Wilson, was a pioneering American ornithologist who applied Linnaean taxonomy, developed an arsenic bath technique for specimen preservation, and amassed a scientifically significant collection of over 600 bird species from North America and abroad. Peale’s museum served as a hub for specimen exchange with European institutions and influenced early American ornithologists, including Wilson. Despite Peale’s extensive knowledge and efforts, financial difficulties led to the museum’s decline and dispersal in the mid-19th century, with parts of the collection eventually incorporated into institutions such as the Museum of Comparative Zoology. The article calls for a reassessment of Peale’s role in the history of American ornithology based on archival research and primary sources. [Extracted from the article]