PREHISTORIC PARK: Return of the Dinosaurs
Now Open through September 11, 2005
Visitors will travel back in time to encounter an extinct world with nine life-sized robotic dinosaurs and ice age mammals, simulated fossil dig boxes, real dinosaur remains and fossilized eggs. The exhibit features a robotic Tyrannosaurus rex; an adult Maiasaura with a nest full of hatchling eggs, the domed-headed Pachycephalosaurus, an adult Apatosaurus with its young, and a soaring Pteranodon, with a massive, 25-foot wingspan. Each lifelike model is based on an actual fossil and reflects recent theories of dinosaur behavior and physiology. The prehistoric giants were manufactured in Los Angeles by Kokoro Dinosaurs using the latest robotic technology.
The exhibit also features four ice age mammals including a woolly mammoth; the extinct hornless rhino Baluchitherium; a family of Smilodons, the largest saber-toothed cat; and a Megatherium, the giant sloth. Also on display are specimens from the Broward Community College collection including fossil casts of a Triceratops skull, an Ankyosaurus skeleton and the magnificent Tyrannosaurus rex known as “STAN,” which is probably the best preserved and the most complete dinosaur skull yet discovered anywhere in the world. Nearly every bone of STAN’s skull was recovered during the 1992 excavation in South Dakota by paleontologist Stan Sacrison.
Visitors can also view Prehistoric World Images by Josef Moravec; a unique collection of 32 prints taken from beautifully rendered and finely detailed paintings of the prehistoric world, from the Precambrian Era 4.6 billion years ago through the Pleistocene Epoch 20,000 years ago. These true-to-life images by Moravec open a window to a world long past when the great dinosaurs roamed the land and enormous sea creatures ruled the oceans.
In the hands-on section of the exhibit, visitors will experience the inner workings of the robotic dinosaurs by controlling one dinosaur’s movements from a remote control location. They will also get the chance to work as paleontologists by excavating real sharks’ teeth in the Fossil Dig Pit, and children can create colorful dinosaur art at the dinosaur rubbing station. The exhibit is presented locally by BankAtlantic.
BONE YARD Opens September 30, 2005 In the Bone Yard, you’ll meet “Stan,” a cast of the most preserved and complete T-rex skull ever found, come face to face with a Triceratops, and see a full cast skeleton of the “armored lizard,” Ankylosaurus. You will also be challenged to compare and contrast dinosaur bones to determine whether a dinosaur was a carnivore or herbivore. Exhibits will showcase how a paleontologist locates, preserves, excavates and transports dinosaur bones from the field to a research center. Other exhibits will include dinosaur egg casts, claws and teeth. Go back in time and explore the amazing world of the dinosaur!
DRAGON SKIES: Astronomy of Imperial China
Opens October 1, 2005 through January 2, 2006 Discover the secrets of Imperial China Astronomy. Take a journey to a time long past, to a place where the Emperor’s power depended on understanding the heavens. In the shadows of the Forbidden City sat the Royal Observatory where early Chinese astronomers developed sophisticated instruments to measure star positions and created detailed maps and globes of the sky. Their observations were used to predict and interpret celestial events for the Emperor and to create a calendar that would let farmers know when the seasons would change and when to expect optimal days for travel, weddings, festivals and other activities. Exhibit includes:
32 ancient Chinese artifacts from fortune-telling oracle bones to amazing time-keeping devices
13 hands-on stations that will let you explore the astronomers’ secrets for yourself.
The exhibit is sponsored locally by Rand Eye Institute.
SPEED: The Science of Going Fast!
February 4, 2005 through April 30, 2006 How fast is fast? Using examples from race cars and roller coasters to cutting-edge research, SPEED engages guests in both the scientific and human qualities of going fast. At the heart of each experience is the physical reality of speed, illustrating the math and physics of acceleration, horsepower and friction. These principles are expressed through the personal stories of individuals testing their own abilities and the limits of technology. The total experience of SPEED will redefine your understanding of what it means to go fast. SPEED was created by COSI Columbus with support from the National Science Foundation and in cooperation with the Science Museum Exhibit Collaborative.
ALIENS: Worlds of Possibilities
May 27, 2006 through September 4, 2006
This interactive, out-of-this-world exhibit takes visitors on a voyage from planet Earth into the far reaches of our solar system and beyond, to answer that famous question, “Are we alone?” Through hands-on exhibits you will discover what life on other planets might look like and why. Explore outer space, operate a replica of the Mars Pathfinder, and calculate how much you would weigh on other planets. Take a peek at the world with alien eyes using an infrared camera. Look through a telescope at a star field, see a real piece of a Martian meteorite, and experience a close encounter with giant robotic aliens. This exhibit was developed by Pacific Science Center in partnership with the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI) and was made possible through the support of the National Science Foundation.
In the Bone Yard, you’ll meet “Stan,” a cast of the most preserved and complete T-rex skull ever found, come face to face with a Triceratops, and see a full cast skeleton of the “armored lizard,” Ankylosaurus. You will also be challenged to compare and contrast dinosaur bones to determine whether a dinosaur was a carnivore or herbivore. Exhibits will showcase how a paleontologist locates, preserves, excavates and transports dinosaur bones from the field to a research center. Other exhibits will include dinosaur egg casts, claws and teeth. Go back in time and explore the amazing world of the dinosaur!
Discover the secrets of Imperial China Astronomy. Take a journey to a time long past, to a place where the Emperor’s power depended on understanding the heavens. In the shadows of the Forbidden City sat the Royal Observatory where early Chinese astronomers developed sophisticated instruments to measure star positions and created detailed maps and globes of the sky. Their observations were used to predict and interpret celestial events for the Emperor and to create a calendar that would let farmers know when the seasons would change and when to expect optimal days for travel, weddings, festivals and other activities. Exhibit includes:
How fast is fast? Using examples from race cars and roller coasters to cutting-edge research, SPEED engages guests in both the scientific and human qualities of going fast. At the heart of each experience is the physical reality of speed, illustrating the math and physics of acceleration, horsepower and friction. These principles are expressed through the personal stories of individuals testing their own abilities and the limits of technology. The total experience of SPEED will redefine your understanding of what it means to go fast. SPEED was created by COSI Columbus with support from the National Science Foundation and in cooperation with the Science Museum Exhibit Collaborative.
