Childs Frick

Childs Frick was an American vertebrate paleontologist and the son of wealthy industrialist Henry Clay Frick. He dedicated much of his life to the study of fossils and paleontology. He was born in 1883 and died in 1965, leaving a massive legacy in the scientific community.

Childs Frick's vast fossil-mammal collection is housed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. He donated his massive collection to the museum, where it remains a major research resource. The museum dedicated an entire building, the Frick Laboratory, to house his findings.

Frick specialized in vertebrate paleontology, focusing heavily on Tertiary mammals from North America. He spent decades conducting fieldwork in the western United States to uncover ancient mammal fossils. His collection significantly expanded the scientific understanding of mammalian evolution.

He was a research associate and a major benefactor of the American Museum of Natural History rather than a standard employee. He funded and led his own massive collecting expeditions. His independent wealth allowed him to finance the Frick Laboratory, which became a core part of the museum.