The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York has announced that an exhibition of astronomy-inspired high jewelry by Van Cleef & Arpels will open on April 11. “Cosmic Splendor: Jewelry from the Collections of Van Cleef & Arpels” will feature nearly 70 celestial, mythological, and astrological pieces from the brand.

The exhibition is designed to celebrate the wonders and mysteries of the cosmos. People have been captivated by the night sky and moved by the grandeur of space to create captivating works of art for a millennium, said AMNH.

The jewelry, timepieces, and precious objects showcased in the upcoming “Cosmic Splendor” exhibition include necklaces depicting rockets in flight, gem-set pendants inspired by distant nebulae, and watches with mechanisms that trace the transit of planetary bodies.

The pieces to be exhibited come from Van Cleef & Arpels’ Patrimonial Collection and private owners who lent their contemporary jewels for the occasion.

The museum will house “Cosmic Splendor” in the Melissa and Keith Meister Gallery, a space for temporary exhibitions in the newly renovated Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals that opened in February 2021.

The space previously featured a collaboration between the museum and the jeweler in 2023, “Garden of Green: Exquisite Jewelry from the Collection of Van Cleef & Arpels.”