Special Exhibits — Mississippi Museum of Natural Science ...

21 Oct.,2024

 

Special Exhibits — Mississippi Museum of Natural Science ...

Hunters of the Sky
June 23, - December 30,

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Children of all ages enjoyed this hands-on national traveling exhibit about raptors-the great birds of prey.

For thousands of years, raptors have gripped the human imagination, being revered as divine messengers, prized as hunting companions, and celebrated as symbols of power. Visitors explored the biology and ecology of raptors-eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, and the reclusive condor-diverse and complex birds of prey whose survival is fundamentally linked to humans.

In addition to life-size dioramas that illustrate the majesty of raptors in their natural habitats, Hunters of the Sky offered many interactive components to engross both children and adults and periodic showings of live birds of prey enhanced the exhibit.

Sponsors
Special thanks go to the following for their support of the
Hunters of the Sky exhibit:

- Regions Bank
- Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
- Merrill Lynch
- Mr. & Mrs. Alex Alston, Jr.
- Ergon
- Dudley J. Hughes
- Nissan of North America, Inc.
- Community Foundation of Greater Jackson
- Jackie & Avery Rollins
- Joye & Scott Steele
- Magalen O. Bryant
- Melissa & David Patterson
- Brunini, Grantham, Grower, Hewes
- Chris & Steve Zachow
- Deborah & Hunter Dawkins
- Deviney Construction Company
- Nora Frances & Vaughn McRae
- Rosalie B. Rotwein
- Ollye B. Shirley, Ph.D.
- Dick Hall
- Newt P. Harrison
- Hap & Hilda Owen
- Patagonia / Buffalo Peak Outfitters
- Drs. John & Connie Schimmel
- Robert Smith, M.D.
- Robert & Eleanor Weaver

Bone up on Bones
January 19, - May 11,

Visitors explored the marvels of the human skeletal system and got an inside look at what makes up bone. This highly interactive health science exhibition focused on the connection between bone health and overall well-being. Visitors learned that bone health contributes significantly to their general health and that there are ways to positively affect bone strength throughout life, particularly during childhood and adolescence. The exhibit explored bone physiology, bone function, osteoporosis, and the importance of calcium, vitamins, and exercise to build and maintain bone strength.

Sponsors
Special thanks go to the following for their support of the
Bone up on Bones exhibit:

  • Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi

  • The Bower Foundation

  • Baptist Health Systems

  • Feild Cooperative Association

  • Methodist Rehabilitation Center

  • Sanderson Farms

  • St. Dominic Health Services

  • Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation

  • Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks

Press Release

Dinosaurs!
May 24, - January 4,

Amazing and lifelike robotic creatures, including the multi-plated Stegosaurus, took visitors back millions of years.

From a Protoceratops with hatchlings to a Tyrannosaurus rex, these robotic dinosaurs are fascinating to children and adults alike. Visitors heard them roar, watched them feed and care for their young, learned which beasts may have been fighters and active hunters of other dinosaurs as prey and which creatures fed on tender plants.

Sponsors

  • Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks

  • Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation

  • Janet and Luther Ott

  • Gertrude C. Ford Foundation

  • Paul T. Benton

  • Chisholm Foundation

  • Nissan of North America, Inc.

  • Trustmark National Bank

  • Walker Foundation

  • Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes

  • Dr. & Mrs. Steve Zachow

  • Jackie & Avery Rollins

  • Paul Moak Volvo

Sustainable Choices
January 24, - May 10,

This interactive exhibit, organized by NRG! Exhibits, explored the concept of sustainability and the choices that each of us make everyday. Sustainability, or meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, is an increasingly important topic as the world's population and consumption expands. The exhibit engaged visitors with thought-provoking content, interactive exhibits, and live animals!

Sponsors

  • Entergy

  • MS Department of Environmental Quality

  • Jackie & Avery Rollins

  • Emme Wells

  • MS Wildlife Federation

  • National Wildlife Federation

  • Natural Resource Initiative (NRI)

  • Environmental Coalition of Mississippi

  • Mississippi

  • Mississippi Council for Agriculture & Natural Resource Education (MSCAN)

    Press Release

Monsters of the Deep
June 13, - January 8,
You won't believe your eyes. You won't believe their size.

Monsters of the Deep transported visitors into the underwater world of prehistoric creatures and modern-day aquatic giants. Exhibits featured skeletons and realistically fleshed-out models.

With their incredible teeth, gaping jaws, and long snake-like necks, the bizarre monsters of the ancient seas were unlike anything known today.

In this thrilling prehistoric world, huge carnivorous, marine reptiles filled the oceans such as sea turtles the size of a car. Although the creatures of the deep have changed over the past 65 million years, we are still fascinated with the modern marvels of present day monsters, such as the elusive Giant Squid, fearsome sharks, and amazing whales. The Museum was pleased to present this opportunity to experience the scale of these awesome creatures and learn more about the oceans they inhabit today.

Sponsors

  • Gertrude C. Ford Foundation

  • Mr. and Mrs. Dudley Hughes

  • Janet & Luther Ott Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson

  • The Walker Foundation

  • The Chisholm Foundation

  • Feild Cooperative Associates, Inc.

  • Nissan of North America

  • Sanderson Farms, Inc.

  • Regions Bank

  • Dr. & Mrs. Steve Zachow

  • Dr. Ollye B. Shirley

Press Release

Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl:
Home Sweet Home

February 13, - May 13,

Two beloved American icons came to life in this educational, interactive exhibit for children, Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl: Home Sweet Home, created in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service and sponsored locally by AT&T and the USDA Forest Service.

The exhibit helped bring kids to nature and nature to kids. Families were encouraged to spend time together outdoors and children were inspired to discover and care for the natural resources that sustain our world - our home sweet home.

"This exhibit was a natural fit with new programs that our education staff is implementing. For instance, Growing Up WILD is an award-winning early childhood education and training program for educators and caregivers that builds on children's sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them," explains Angel Rohnke, Museum Education Coordinator.

Local Sponsors
AT&T
USDA Forest Service
Anonymous
Dick and Sally Molpus
Feild Cooperative Associates, Inc.
Paul T. Benton
Plum Creek
Sanderson Farms, Inc.
The Chisholm Foundation
Trustmark National Bank
Dr. & Mrs. Steve Zachow
Family of Catchings B. Smith
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation

Press Release

Megalodon: Largest Shark
that Ever Lived

June 5, - January 9,

This traveling exhibit highlighted the evolution, biology and misconceptions of Megalodon.

You've probably never seen jaws like these before. They belonged to a behemoth 60-feet long, whose giant mouth bristled with 276 teeth. They belonged to Megalodon, the biggest prehistoric shark of all time that cruised all the world's oceans more than two million years ago. The 60-foot, 2-million-year-old Megalodon loomed life-size in this mega-exhibit of modern and fossil sharks, named a "AAA Southern Travel Treasure"!

"Megalodon" was produced by the Florida Museum of Natural History with support from the National Science Foundation. The exhibit conveyed research findings of Florida Museum paleontologists, and showcased both fossil and modern shark specimens and full-scale models from several collections.

Local Sponsors:
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation
Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
Institute of Museum & Library Services
The Clarion-Ledger
The Walker Foundation
Comcast
Anonymous
Nissan North America, Inc.
Regions Bank
Dr. and Mrs. Steve Zachow
Mississippi Power Company
Mr. & Mrs. Dudley Hughes
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks

This project was supported in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, creating strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibit do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Press Release

"FROGS: Beyond Green" exhibit
June 4, - January 9,

The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (MMNS) offered visitors a rare opportunity to see 25 different species of live frogs and toads from all around the world.

Visitors to the "FROGS!" exhibit got an up-close look at frogs and toads housed in replications of their natural habitats from Asia, Australia, and South America.

About the Exhibit: FROGS: Beyond Green was created by the Audubon Nature Institute. The exhibit is sponsored locally by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation, Gertrude C. Ford Foundation, the Janet and Luther Ott Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson, the Walker Foundation, Institute of Museum & Library Services, Regions Bank, Nissan of North America, Inc., Chris and Steve Zachow and other generous supporters.

This project was supported in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, creating strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibit do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Amazing Butterflies
February 5, - May 8,

Visitors transformed into caterpillars and journeyed through one of the planet's most amazing lifecycles at the "Amazing Butterflies" exhibit featuring a giant indoor maze, caterpillar tunnel and live butterflies. Visitors experienced the challenges of being a caterpillar as it morphs into a beautiful butterfly through a hands-on human maze of larger-than-life leaves, grass and trees. Along the way, they discovered the ways caterpillars move, what they eat and how other creatures help them achieve their transformation and marked their progress as a butterfly by stamping a souvenir garden card at eight stations before zooming out of the maze as a butterfly on "The Monarch Monorail!" After exploring the exhibit, visitors "flew" over to the Museum's Terrarium to see live butterflies.

About the Exhibit: "Amazing Butterflies" was created by the Natural History Museum in London in collaboration with Minotaur Mazes.

LOCAL SPONSORS:

  • Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks

  • Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation

  • Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS)

  • Anonymous

  • Clarion Ledger

  • Paul Benton

  • The Chisholm Foundation

  • Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau

  • Sanderson Farms

  • Trustmark Bank

  • Chris & Steve Zachow

    If you are looking for more details, kindly visit animatronic dinosaurs protoceratops.

  • Feild Co-Operative Association, Inc.

  • Emme Wells

  • Jennie McIntosh

  • Ollye B. Shirley

This project was supported in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, creating strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibit do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

BUTTERFLY CAR TAG
If you enjoy butterflies, then you'll love MDWFP's Butterfly Conserving Wildlife car tag. The tag costs $30 dollars (in addition to the regular tag fee). Proceeds benefit the Wildlife Heritage Fund. Contact your local tax collector's office to get yours.

Press Release

Lost in the Amazon
February 4, - March 28,

Stephen Kirkpatrick's intimate photographs of the world's rarest, most important, and most endangered habitats.

After the Dinosaurs: Prehistoric Mammals
October 7, - January 8,

Animatronic creatures from prehistory come stomping and roaring to life.

A T.rex Named Sue
June 18, - September 11,

The largest and most complete T.rex ever discovered comes to Jackson.

Towering Termites
March 4 & 5,

Fascinating facts, interactive activities and displays inside a 60-foot termite.

Witness: Endangered Species of North America
February 24, - May 29,

Stunning photographs of 100 of our continent's most threatened animals.

Alligators!
October 1, - January 24,

An unusual look at these amazing reptiles in the photographs of C. C. Lockwood.

Robot Zoo
May 22, - September 12,

Robotic animals reveal the brilliance of nature's own engineering.

Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats
January 23, - May 9,

Exploring the myths and realities of these mysterious creatures.

Wetland Wonderland
December 3, - February 9,

Photographs from Joe Mac Hudspeth's book, In the South Wild.

Rhythms of Nature: The Pascagoula River
October 31, - January 14,

Exploring the largest unimpeded river system in the continental U.S.

Between the Blades of Grass
June 19, - October 12,

An exhibit of Walter Anderson's drawings and watercolors.

Prehistoric Playground
February 14, - May 16,

The early lives of dinosaurs, from eggs to hatchlings to playful infants.

The Mississippi and the Making of a Nation
October 11, - January 31,

Celebrating the Louisiana Purchase and the natural wonder of the Mighty Mississippi.

The Hidden World of Bears
September 19, - January 15,

An intimate look at bears and their behavior through captivating photography.

Remains of a Rainbow: Rare Plants & Animals of Hawaii  
May 31, - August 14,

Breathtaking photos from the islands by David Liitschwager and Susan Middleton.

Wilder Mississippi
November 24, - February 28,

"Like being let in on a wonderful secret" through the photos of Stephen Kirkpatrick.

Visions of Nature: The World of Walter Anderson
June 7, - October 28,

The Mississippi artist's exploration of nature in woodcuts, watercolors, and pen-and-ink.

Natural History Machines
November 25, - February 25,

An interactive exhibit featuring steel marionettes of prehistoric creatures.

DINO-might

Joshua W. Bingham Times Staff Writer

A blockbuster of an exhibit featuring moving dinosaurs is opening soon at the Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts to enthrall attendees about the gigantic creatures that once ruled the earth.

Dinosaurs ALIVE! shows Monday to May 18.

Lauren West, the dinosaur exhibit project director, said such a large exhibit as this is shown at the center about every four years.

"And the blockbuster exhibits are the only (ones) where we actually charge members to come see," West said.

Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for children and seniors and $3 for center members.

However, Saturday and Sunday are special preview days where members will be able to view the fully running exhibit for free. Magician Archie Wade will perform at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday.

Designed by WonderWorks, this touring exhibit shows life-like dinosaurs in their natural habitats, West said. Powered by animatronics, the dinosaurs' heads will move and their eyelids will open and close.

Center patrons may remember that a similar dinosaur exhibit was shown in , but this one is going to be even larger. The dinosaurs will be different, of larger stature and more in number.

In fact, because of the size of the exhibit, Dinosaurs ALIVE! won't be in the center.

"Last time they had the exhibit upstairs in the exhibit hall in the cultural arts center," West said. "And this time we knew that the exhibit was going to take up so much more space. So we're using the Gadsden Museum (of Art)."

It's going to fill up the entire first floor of the GMA located next door to the center's Imagination Place on Broad Street.

So much space is needed not only for the dinosaurs, but also for the three participatory stations placed throughout the exhibit. There is also a dino-dig where the art of paleontology can be practiced by searching for dinosaur bones and relics.

"(The) whole exhibit's designed as if you would just take a step back in time (with) scenery, plants, rocks and waterfalls," West said.

In addition, for each month of the exhibit will be a program to entertain and educate the young and old about earth's prehistoric population in Imagination Place.

In February, children can help create a large dinosaur collage called "Vincent Van Dino" by individually adding a piece to the monstrous wall sculpture.

In March, Dr. Seuss meets dinosaurs in the children's book "Oh Say Can You Say Di-no-saur." Through a Super Dino Museum and fossil records, readers will be taken into the world of dinosaurs with the Cat in the Hat as their guide.

In April, fun activities are based on the book "Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo." Dinosaur Bob is a baseball-playing dinosaur and the Lazardos are on safari in Africa. Children will keep score with baseball math, learn trumpet music or explore geography with the Lazardo family's global adventures.

"An exhibit like this is pretty rare to come to the city of Gadsden," West said. "And this is a really special opportunity for the city to have something this big. It'll give students a chance to learn ... with hands-on experience about dinosaurs, these huge amazing creatures that walked the earth millions of years ago."

Tickets are available at the information desk of the center, or at the gift shop in the entrance of the GMA.

For more information on Dinosaurs ALIVE!, to volunteer as a tour guide or to register for a tour where discount rates are available for 20 people or more, call 543-.

Prehistoric creatures in Dinosaurs ALIVE!:

Dilophosaurus

This carnivore from the early Jurassic period has two plate-like radiators sticking up like a V from its head supposedly used to keep it cool in warm weather, West said. Fossils of dilophosauruses have been found in Arizona. It lived in arid, desert environments.

In the exhibit it stands 8 feet tall and is 18 feet long.

This small carnivore was very alert, agile and swift, armed with a "terrible claw" on its hind foot. Deinonychuses hunted larger creatures in packs.

"He was pound for pound one of the most feared predators of the Cretaceous period," West said.

In the exhibit it stands about 4 feet tall and 12 feet long.

This herbivore and carnivore are shown in a death grip as a female protoceratops tries to protect her eggs from a velociraptor.

"What's kind of neat is that actually, (fossils of) a protoceratops and velociraptor were found in Mongolia (where) they both had died in the struggle," West said. "The velociraptor was kind of attached to the neck of the protoceratops."

In the exhibit, the velociraptor stands 2 feet tall and about 3 feet long. The protoceratops stands about 4 feet tall and 3 feet long.

This herbivore lived during the Cretaceous period, West said. It had a parrot-like beak with a horn on it and a very strong jaw bone. It had a frill on the back of its head with two horns, probably used to attract mates and intimidate attackers.

West said an adult triceratops 6 feet tall and 12 feet long will be set up in the Colonial Mall and a baby 2 feet tall and 5 feet long will be in the exhibit.

Living in the Cretaceous period, this carnivore was probably the most feared of all, West said. Full grown it probably weighed seven tons and could move at 25 mph. With 6-inch-long serrated teeth, its jaws did most of the work while its arms were very short.

"They say his jaw, when his mouth is wide open, you'd be able to fit a 5- or 6-year-old child standing up straight in his mouth and the child wouldn't touch (its) teeth," West said.

The exhibit will have a 10 foot tall, 15 foot

As the first vertebras to achieve powered flight, these dinosaurs had hollow bones and may have had fur, West said. With a 23-foot wing span and great eyesight, it would hunt by flying over the ocean and scooping down to get fish with a long, pointed and deep beak.

This duck-billed herbivore was one of the most dominant of the land animals in the Cretaceous period, West said. An elongated crest rises from its head and was probably used as a resonating chamber.

"They say that it was almost like a horn honking when they called," West said.

With small hooves on it feet, it could probably run for long distances on its two back legs.

In the exhibit it stands about 7 feet tall and 15 feet long.

This long-necked herbivore from the Jurassic period was probably one of the dumbest dinosaurs with a very small head and tiny brain, West said.

It swallowed rocks to help with digestion because it didn't chew food before swallowing.

This herbivore from the Jurassic period had four bony spikes on the end of its tail used as weapons. And with a brain the size of a walnut, it wasn't too smart, West said.

While roaming the earth, it was about 29 feet long.

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