Image Courtesy of The AMNH
If you’re looking for that first spark of holiday magic in New York City, head straight to the American Museum of Natural History, where the beloved Origami Holiday Tree officially opened on November 24th. For decades, this delightfully quirky tradition has marked the unofficial start of the season — and this year’s theme, New Beginnings, brings a fresh burst of life, color, and prehistoric charm.
Standing an impressive 13 feet tall, the 2025 tree is inspired by the Museum’s new exhibition, Impact: The End of the Age of Dinosaurs. But instead of mourning the dinos, this year’s design flips the script, celebrating the incredible variety of species that emerged after the asteroid hit 66 million years ago. Think of it as a joyful tribute to evolution’s comeback era: the rise of mammals, the diversification of insects, and all the life that flourished in the wake of extinction.
Crowned with a shimmering golden asteroid (because of course it is), the tree features more than 1,000 hand-folded origami models crafted by artists from around the city, across the country, and around the world. Among the miniature paper sculptures: newly evolved mammals, vibrant insects, and longtime AMNH favorites like the iconic Blue Whale. Dinosaurs haven’t been forgotten, either — you’ll spot origami versions of sky-soaring pterosaurs, deep-sea mosasaurs and plesiosaurs, and land-roaming legends like Triceratops and T. Rex.
The Origami Holiday Tree was co-designers, Ros Joyce and Talo Kawasak. and each ornament is a tiny masterpiece, painstakingly folded by local, national, and international artists in partnership with OrigamiUSA, making the tree not just a holiday display but a full-on work of art.
The AMNH is located at 200 Central Park West, and you can find the Origami Holiday Tree in the museum’s Ellen V. Futter Gallery on the first floor — just follow the trail of delighted gasps and camera-ready smiles.
Whether you’re a dinosaur devotee, an origami enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates a little seasonal whimsy, this year’s “New Beginnings” theme is the perfect reminder that creativity, like life itself, always finds a way.