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Monday 8am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm Thursday 8am - 4:30pm Friday 8am - 4:30pm

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George Dante Studios

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United States
Woodland Park, NJ
George Dante Studios

George Dante Studios Taxidermist, sculptor, naturalist. Focusing on specialized museum services.

02/12/2025

Preserving History at Sagamore Hill: Our Taxidermy “Stand-In”

We were honored to take on a unique challenge at Sagamore Hill—the historic home of Theodore Roosevelt. Hanging in the front hallway is a Cape Buffalo trophy from Roosevelt’s 1910 safari.

Despite careful preservation by NHS Curatorial Staff, severe cracking due to temperature and humidity fluctuations required immediate action.

Our task? Create a temporary replacement that closely matched the original while ensuring it fit the existing space and hardware.

We began by sculpting a custom form that replicated the period-correct style of the original mount, paying special attention to the artistic details of the taxidermist’s work.

To reduce weight and stress on the existing hanger, we used a replica set of horns, making installation safer and easier. Every detail mattered—from sourcing glass eyes from the same era to fine-tuning the facial expression and eye set for an authentic look.

Swipe through the images to see the transformation and final installation. The first images are the original, the last is our new taxidermy.

Have you visited Sagamore Hill yet? Let us know if you’ve spotted our work!

A huge thank you to and for making this project possible.

01/01/2025

While reflecting on what an incredible year 2024 has been, I was about to post a few of my favorite highlights when it suddenly hit me.

I can go on and on listing the many projects and accomplishments we enjoyed, how incredibly thankful we are for our clients, students, employees, and colleagues.

My appreciation is genuine, I want you all to know how much we love and respect you, but I saw how this can quickly turn from a message of thanks to a bragging session.

While playing with my girls today it dawned on me that having success in a career is not always about racking up accomplishments or wealth. It’s really about the precious gift of time. The hours, minutes, and seconds spent with those you love.

I am eternally grateful for a career that allows me to spend time with those who need me, and today, I raise this tiny glass and wish you all a happy, healthy, New Year.
- George ❤️
#2025

12/11/2024

With a serious addiction to habitat material, a quick run to our plant supplier usually turns disastrous!

11/26/2024

The ethical and respectful persuit of game offers us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in nature and develop a deep, personal understanding of the wildlife around us.

It’s about sight and sound — it’s learning to rely on all our senses, becoming attuned to the environment, and moving quietly within it.

Hunting becomes a form of meditation, a careful game of strategy and patience. It must be a respectful practice, where every action is guided by an understanding and appreciation for the creatures we share this world with.

07/11/2024

If you know, you know……

06/26/2024

What an incredible class this past weekend!!!!!!

05/22/2024

Properly cleaning taxidermy is far beyond a feather duster and a bottle of Windex. In fact, the common ways in which we clean taxidermy can actually do more damage, causing it to lose its value and shorten its lifespan. Through we’re offering a rare opportunity to learn proper cleaning and care in an intensive 2-day, hands-on workshop at our studio. This course is lead by 2 of the world’s leading museum conservators Bethany Palumbo and Fran Richie There are a few spots left, follow the link tree in bio to learn more. I hope to see you there!

01/29/2024

Most know I have made it my mission to push for more education on historic museum exhibits, the process of how they were created, and the artists who carried it out. If you don’t already, please follow us over at for more!

Here’s a rare look at the foreground artists working on Carl Akeley’s Gorilla Diorama at the American Museum of Natural History.
Botanical models including wild celery, Ruwenzori blackberry, Cusso and Tutsan trees were painstakingly created by these talented foreground artists.
We often talk about how many of the artists who built dioramas were never credited and sometimes forgotten. The least credited were the foreground artists. These individuals would accompany the expeditions and work tirelessly collecting the plants, soil, rocks, mosses, and more from the chosen site.
They were highly skilled at preserving material in the field, making molds and field notes of what could not be preserved, and packing this all safely for a return trip.
Once the construction of the diorama began, it was time to re-assemble all these parts of the puzzle exactly how they found it. This is another reason why some dioramas are valued as historic records of areas that may sadly no longer exist.

01/15/2024

Replica Great Horned Owl - 100% artificial! Custom commissions now available through our partnership with

01/11/2024

12/26/2023

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!! ❤️

11/28/2023

Friends, nonprofits cannot thrive without your support, and we continue to invest in because we believe in this mission. This please help us advance the numerous projects lined up for this year. 100% of your donation goes directly to project funding. Even the smallest gift can make a difference!

11/23/2023

To my family, friends, clients, and colleagues, whether your feast is fish, fowl, mammal, or plant, I’d like to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

11/15/2023

What a surprise!!! The State Museum of Pennsylvania created an exhibit on the restoration of their mammal hall! This is exceptionally well done, outlining not only restoration but the planning and building of dioramas. Every museum should have one of these! Go check this out! Well done SMOP, and thank you!!!

10/31/2023

We have been incredibly privileged to have restored more Passenger pigeons than any other studio in the country and we want to thank all the clients who entrusted their specimens with us! This wonderful piece underwent not only some intense cleaning but a replacement eye, feather fills, and re-coloring. Swipe to see some before and afters. One down, two more to go!

10/30/2023

Details….

Address

192 LACKWANNA Avenue
Woodland Park, NJ
07424

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8am - 4:30pm
Friday	8am - 4:30pm

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Videos

🎥🎄 Attempted to make a holiday video today... It started with high hopes and festive cheer but quickly turned into a comedy of errors. From our inability to speak before coffee to the dog getting trapped under the blanket, it was a holiday disaster in the best way possible. After take 27, we threw in the towel. Sometimes the bloopers are the best part! ☕️😂 Thanks to everyone for making this year an epic success!! We wish you and your families a happy and healthy holiday season!!! ❤️ #HolidayFail #bloopers #FestiveFiasco #BetterLuckNextYear #funny #thankyou #merrychristmas #happynewyear #follow #friends #viral #disaster #comedy #happy #explorepage

Part 2 of treating this mummified sea turtle which dates back to the 1700’s. The original hinges on the flippers have been replaced, and now the focus is on aging them to achieve a more period-appropriate look. #taxidermyrestoration #preservation #mummies #mummification #turtle #conservation #museum #artifacts #history #specimens #antiques #taxidermycollector #naturalhistory #restoration #art #repair #historic #oddities #work #incredible #viral #follow #collection #Taxidermy

✨ We had the honor of restoring a magnificent mummy of a leatherback sea turtle, originally prepared in the 1700s. This extraordinary specimen, part of a private collection, has been carefully preserved in our studio. A true example of natural history, blending art, science, and conservation. 🌊🐢 #naturalhistory #restoration #museum #art #repair #historic #oddities #work #incredible #viral #follow #Turtle #sea #collection #conservation #mummy

Barnacles, barnacles, and more barnacles! Cast sheets of these little crustaceans being detailed and applied to rock work this week! . #barnacles #exhibit #naturalhistory #artistry #moldmaking #taxidermyart #georgedante

A glimpse into the process of an old battle-scarred bear being brought back to life by our legendary taxidermists, John Bollmann and Tom Delfico! With over 90 years of combined experience, these two masters have perfected the art of taxidermy. John has dedicated more than 30 years to our studio, while Tom started his career at the renowned Jonas Brothers Studio at just 16! Their unparalleled expertise and countless contributions have shaped our studio into what it is today. We are eternally grateful to have these remarkable men as part of our family. 🙌❤️ #Taxidermy #Artistry #Craftsmanship #LegendaryTaxidermists #StudioFamily #art #wildlife #nature #teamwork #viral #awesome #family #friends #eternal #career #experience #goals

Take your daughter to work day... Crab Taxidermy 101! #taxidermy #taxidermyart #takeyourkidtoworkday #learn #fun #experience #family #FunAtWork

Incredible realism, surpassing the challenges associated with traditional sculpted models. Lightweight, modular construction for easy shipping and installation. 100% synthetic! No parts of any animals used eliminating the need for special permits or pest concerns. Now available to museums and private collectors, These new sculptures raise the bar on replica birds for display. . . . #replica #animalreplicas #animalsculpture #birdsculpture #birdsinart #museummodels #naturalhistory #museums #collections #trophyrooms #wildlife #birds #fake #interiordesign #exhibitdesign #exhibitdesigner #museumarchitecture #georgedante #grubercreations

We are thrilled to announce that George Dante Studios is now the sole distributor in US and Canada for Gruber & Gruber's art work. Our collaboration with Ricardo and Guillermo is allowing us to bring our museums and private collectors a new level of hyper-realistic bird models and sculptures. If you would like to discuss a custom project please email us at [email protected] #partnership #greatnews #talent #incredible #grubercreaciones #georgedante #modelmaking #museum #owl #art #wildlifeart #artwork #sculpture #animalsculpture #birdsculpture #naturalhistory #museumexhibit #hiperrealista

Gharial Restoration Highlights #restoration #taxidermy #learn #collection #art #museum #oddities #conservation #georgedante #taxidermyconservation #taxidermyrestoration #curiosities #vintage #antique #naturalhistory #gharial

#passengerpigeon #art #museum #conservation #restoration #preservation #art #naturalhistory #georgedante #institutefornaturalhistoryarts #taxidemyhistory #extinction #antique #rare #oddities #museumart #naturalhistoryart #learn #nonprofit #georgedantestudios #taxidermy

Sometimes….it’s this simple… But is it really? The answer is no. To properly carry out a restoration which satisfies most museum requirements of being archival, reversible, etc, etc, it requires a great deal of time and knowledge before the work even begins. This Passenger pigeon is 122 years old and one improper decision can end that legacy. . . #georgedante #passengerpigeon #taxidermist #taxidermy #taxidermyhistory #museumtaxidermy #taxidermyrestoration #taxidermyconservation #conservator #conservation #naturahistory #museumconservator #museum #taxidermycollection #antiquetaxidermy #cabinetofcuriosities #museumcollections #ornithology #history

More Passenger Pigeons…. . . . #georgedantestudios #taxidermyhistory #extinction #passengerpigeon #taxidermyrestoration #taxidermyconservation #conservation #naturalhistorymuseum #naturalhistory #museum #museumtaxidermy #taxidermycollection #taxidermycollector #antique #raretaxidermy #museumcollections #collector #birds #rarebirds #preservation #learntaxidermy