Theodore Roosevelt statue in NYC covered ahead of move to North Dakota museum – New York Post

The American Museum of Natural History has covered up a monument to the past.

A statue of Theodore Roosevelt that has stood on the front steps of the Manhattan museum for more than 80 years is now blocked from view, photos taken by The Post show Monday.

The bronze effigy to the nations 26th president, criticized for glorifying colonialism and racism, is being sent to North Dakota on a long-term loan to the upcoming Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.

Just two weeks after the move was announced, the statue is already completely hidden from view, covered by scaffolding and a tarp, The Posts pics show.

The removal, being carried out by the museum with help from the city, is expected to take several months to complete, officials said when announcing the deal.

Opposition to the statue mounted in recent years, especially after the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests sparked by George Floyds murder by a Minneapolis cop in May 2020.

In June 2020, officials at the museum which is privately run but sits on public land proposed removing the statue amid a nationwide movement to remove public works honoring Confederate leaders.

The New York City Public Design Commission voted unanimously that month to relocate it.

One of the ex-presidents descendants, Theodore Roosevelt V, supported removing the statue, which he conceded is problematic in its hierarchical depiction of its subjects.

Rather than burying a troubling work of art, we ought to learn from it.

It is fitting that the statue is being relocated to a place where its composition can be recontextualized to facilitate difficult, complex, and inclusive discussions, he said of the North Dakota librarys plans.

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Theodore Roosevelt statue in NYC covered ahead of move to North Dakota museum - New York Post