The iconic blue whale at the American Museum of Natural History got its annual cleaning on May 31.
Using long-handled brushes and vacuums, museum staff carefully remove dust and dirt. Cleaning the whole whale, top and bottom, can take two days.
“It’s important to keep it looking its best. We try to do that at least once a year,” said Dean Marksman, director of project management at the museum.
The 94-foot-long, 21,000-pound blue whale model is the largest exhibit in the New York museum.
The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth. This life-size model, made of fiberglass and polyurethane, was first installed in 1969.
It has been a popular exhibit since day one.
