The centerpiece of the Diorama Hall at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum is an eight-ton whale shark.
At 32 feet long, it is believed to be the largest piece of fish taxidermy in the world.
It hovers majestically above the Diorama Hall, bathed from below in a virtual sea of blue lights.
The serene appearance of the whale shark belies the epic struggles that made this piece of taxidermy possible.
The whale shark was caught by accident, on Aug. 9, 1935, when it was hauled up in the nets of a commercial fishing boat off Fire Island, New York.
Fire Island is nearly 700 miles north of the typical range for whale sharks.
The whale shark lay rotting in the hot sun for several days as the fishermen who caught it charged admission to see it.
Fortunately, William K. Vanderbilt II recognized the value of this unique specimen, and was in a position to purchase it for his private collection.