Sculpture Art, Dinosaur Models and Reproductions: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles opens New Dinosaur Hall

NEW Dinosaur Hall opens July 16th

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

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The new hall features 300 specimens, some brand new to the museum's collection and some even new to science itself. At the entrance a magnificent Triceratops mounted in front of the massive 70 foot long Mamenchisaurus. On the left wall is a realistic mural by julius csotonyi, and on the right a "fossil wall" which houses approximately 100 fossil bones, coperlites, skin impressions, and foot prints from all sorts of Mesozoic creatures. The exhibit is not organized in the traditional "family tree" or "walk through time" fair where relationships, classifications and time periods loom over the viewer constantly. Instead, the museum uses its collection to convey how science is used in paleontology, and how the research is actually carried out.

There are of course various interactive displays, touch screens, "touchable" specimens and other things that people come to expect from dinosaur exhibits. There are some features however, that set this exhibit completely apart from all the rest. For instance, the viewer will notice the relative absence of glass in many of the large mounts. This allows for an uncanny intimacy with the specimens, and great photos! The modern presentation is paired with up to date content. The various displays undoubtably discuss diet, ecology, behavior, development and growth, and some of the major ideas surrounding dinosaur evolution, and extinction.