NYC exhibit of diamonds arranged as butterfly

In this undated photo provided by the American Museum of Natural History, The Butterfly of Peace, consisting of 240 colorful diamonds arranged in the shape of a dazzling butterfly and weighing 166.94 carats. Denis Finnin, The Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS

In this undated photo provided by the American Museum of Natural History, “The Butterfly of Peace,” consisting of 240 colorful diamonds arranged in the shape of a dazzling butterfly and weighing 166.94 carats. Denis Finnin, The Associated Press

By The Associated Press
September 5, 2008

NEW YORK- An eight-day exhibition of 240 diamonds arranged in the shape of a large butterfly is dazzling visitors at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Dubbed “The Butterfly of Peace,” the group of colored diamonds known as “fancies” weighs 166.94 carats.

The butterfly measures 11 inches (28 centimeters) by 14 inches (35.6 centimeters) and is part of a revived exhibition called “The Nature of Diamonds,” first shown at a Manhattan museum in 1997-1998.

The show opened on Thursday and will end Sept. 11. It will then travel to the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the Houston Museum of Natural Science and The Field Museum in Chicago.