▁the ▁American ▁Museum ▁of ▁Natural ▁History ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁serving ▁in ▁that ▁position ▁for ▁twenty - n ine ▁years ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁Schw ende man ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁mount ing ▁and ▁design ing ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁spec im ens ▁on ▁display ▁in ▁the ▁museum , ▁including ▁the ▁collections ▁in ▁the ▁Hall ▁of ▁North ▁American ▁Anim als , ▁the ▁Hall ▁of ▁North ▁American ▁Bird s , ▁and ▁the ▁Hall ▁of ▁Re pt iles ▁and ▁Am ph ib ians . ▁ ▁Background ▁Schw ende man ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁December ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁to ▁Arthur ▁and ▁L ill ian ▁F alk ▁Schw ende man . ▁He ▁learned ▁the ▁craft ▁of ▁tax id erm y ▁at ▁the ▁Schw ende man ’ s ▁Tax id erm y ▁Studio , ▁which ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁his ▁father , ▁Arthur , ▁on ▁South ▁Main ▁Street ▁in ▁Mill town , ▁New ▁Jersey . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁lif el ong ▁resident ▁of ▁Mill town . ▁Following ▁high ▁school , ▁Schw ende man ▁served ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Mar ines ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁Through ▁Schw ende man ' s ▁Tax id erm y , ▁David ▁Schw ende man ▁began ▁working ▁with ▁the ▁American ▁Museum ▁of ▁Natural ▁History ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁the ▁museum ▁h ired ▁him ▁as ▁chief ▁tax id erm ist . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁at