Once a year, workers at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City clean a blue whale—but not a real one! The museum’s 29 meter (94 foot) whale model, or lifelike sculpture, collects dust. So workers have to vacuum it!
When the museum first displayed a whale model, in 1907, it was made of plaster, a material that breaks down over time. In 1969, the museum built a new model out of longer-lasting materials. This model, which is still displayed today, is made of foam supported by a steel frame. Its exterior—and details like its eyes and belly button—are made of plastic.
It takes two days to clean the whale. At the last cleaning, workers removed enough dust to fill up four and a half gallon containers!