AKC's Museum of the Dog opens in New York

Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Boasting one of the largest collections of "canine fine art" in the world, the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog opened Friday in New York City.

The two-floor gallery, located on Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, opened one day ahead of the 143rd annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Its collection includes works by dog artists such as Edwin Landseer, Maud Earl and Arthur Wardle, the AKC said in a news release.

Newspaper amNewYork reported there some historical artifacts in addition to the museum's fine art collection. Those include a 2,000-year-old paw print and a 30 million-year-old fossil of a hesperocyon, an extinct animal that is one of the oldest members of the dog family.

The first exhibition at the museum, "For the Love of All Things Dog," will feature work from the museum's collection, as well as art from the AKC, the news release said.

The museum was originally located in New York but moved to the St. Louis area in the late 1980s.

"This museum is a beautiful ode to man's best friend and we are thrilled to bring these pieces and exhibitions to new audiences," museum executive director Alan Fausel said in a statement.