Everyone is familiar with the story of Noah and his ark. But how many of us have come face-to-face with actual animal depictions from this long ago time?

Noah’s Beasts: Sculpted Animals from Ancient Mesopotamia, a new exhibition opening at the Morgan Library & Museum on May 26, offers museum-goers the opportunity to experience the beauty and power of animal representations dating back to 3300 B.C. Bringing together for the first time sixteen works from the Morgan and a host of institutions across the country, the exhibition is a testament to the skill with which early sculptors evoked the animal kingdom in honor of their gods. The exhibition will run through August 27.