by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
When was the last time you were able to get face-to-face with a dinosaur?
It was probably summer 2007 when the Museum of Science & History on the Southbank hosted an exhibit similar to “Prehistoric Predators,” which opens to the public at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
The latest invasion of dinosaurs is displayed in vignettes that depict the daily life of dinosaurs in realistic settings.
Specimens include a Pteranodon with a 23-foot wingspan soaring above the exhibit, a Maiasaura mother tending to her hatchlings, and an Apatosaurus and an Albertosaurus, a close relative of T-Rex. The animated dinosaurs are brought to life with computers and pneumatics and most are built to scale based on fossils discovered all over the world.
“We have a different group of dinosaurs every time we present the exhibit,” said Kristi Taylor, MOSH development manager. “People love the dinosaurs and families have grown up with this exhibit.”
The museum is known for offering hands-on components in addition to static displays. This exhibit features a “Dino Dig Box,” where guests can play paleontologist and unearth a fossil, and a remote-controlled duck bill dinosaur that guests can operate.
The museum has scheduled special programming for the exhibit, including reservations-only mornings for parents and children ages 2-5 years and “Dozing with Dinosaurs” Nov. 13, when overnight campers and their parents can roll out their sleeping bags and spend the night in the exhibit.
“Prehistoric Predators” will be in the second-floor gallery through Jan. 9. Through Oct. 17, admission to the museum is $5 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
For exhibit hours, ticket prices and more information about the special programs, call 396-7062 or visit www.themosh.org.
356-2466