What is the importance of the American Museum of Natural History in the novel, Wonderstruck?

The American Museum of Natural History is a large museum in New York City originally founded by President Theodore Roosevelt. Ben's family has a long history at the museum. Ben's great uncle, Walter, worked there as a docent and eventually helped Ben's grandmother, Rose, get a job as a diorama builder. Ben's father, Daniel, because the young lead designer for a diorama in museum history. Ben meets Jamie at the museum and spends a week living there secretly. It is in the museum's archives Ben finds out who his father was and how he met his mother.