BYNUM — The Two Medicine Dinosaur Center, a paleontology research facility and gift shop, underwent a huge renovation in the winter of 2011 and now offers even more display space, classroom space and opportunities to learn more about the area’s prehistoric and historic past.
Through the winter and this past spring, the dinosaur center has been under construction as builders added a second floor to the facility, providing more program, event and exhibit space.
The partial second floor provides 2,000 new square feet of space, that is being used for offices, a library, a public meeting/classroom, wash room facilities, storage and a new display on memorabilia from the historic Bynum town site and families.
The upper floor classroom looks out on the museum’s hallmark display of a gigantic Seismosaurus replica. On the main floor, the gift shop and bathrooms have been renovate, more space has been opened up for displays and the fossil preservation and preparation area has been expanded.
The center is invited community members and visitors to come and see the major improvements during a grand opening on May 19. Staff paleontologist Dave Trexler will also give a reading from and sign copies of his new book, “Becoming Dinosaurs,” a thoughtful look at global climate change from a paleontologist’s perspective.
The center offers a variety of hands-on programs including paleontology field research and collection of fossils. These programs are conducted on active research sites and the specimens and information collected are used for scientific, educational and museum display purposes.
The facility is a member of the Montana Dinosaur Trail (Web site: www.mtdinotrail.org), a network of 13 museums, interpretive centers and field stations located in 10 communities of eastern and central Montana.
Program offerings at the Bynum facility range from three-hour introductory seminars to a 10-day course for which college credits may be obtained. Field activities are available from May through September, weather permitting. In-center lab activities are offered year round.
The dinosaur center features the “baby dinosaur” fossils that Marion Brandvold of Bynum discovered in the badlands west of Choteau in 1978. Her discovery launched the career of Princeton dinosaur researcher Jack Horner and helped change the way the scientific world viewed the mothering skills of dinosaurs.
Other exhibits at the dinosaur center include several one-of-a-kind exhibits, including new dinosaur species and the world’s largest life-size mounted dinosaur skeleton model, Seismosaurus halli, the “earth shaker.” In 1979, hikers discovered Seismosaurus, but excavation on the fossilized remains did not begin until 1985, according to information in a dinosaur center brochure. Dinosaur center staff members and others built the life-size model so that people could see how large these animals really were. The scientifically accurate model is 137 feet long and almost 23 feet high at the hips.
Staff members have been conducting public field programs in this area since 1968.
Two Medicine Dinosaur Center’s primary staff includes:
•Paleontologist David Trexler, who has more than 20 years experience and is a professionally educated paleontologist. He is a member of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontologists, the Dinosaur Society, and the Geological Society of America. Trexler, along with his mother, Marion Brandvold, discovered the first nest of baby dinosaurs recognized in the world.
•Laurie Trexler, who has been involved in the field of paleontology for more than 15 years and has more than five years experience as a professional fossil preparer. Laurie has served as instructor of fossil preparation classes for both the general public and professional preparer. In addition, Laurie was the discoverer of the holotype of Maiasaura peeblesorum.
•Cory Coverdell, center director, a Montana State University graduate in geology who has several years of field experience in the area of paleontology. Coverdell handles day-to-day operations at the center, teaches paleontology courses and leads field expeditions.
If you are looking for a high quality paleontology experience in which your time and attendance may contribute to both the scientific knowledge base and the education of future generations, contact Two Medicine Dinosaur Center, P.O. Box 786, Bynum, MT 59419, telephone 1-800-238-6873 or 406-469-2211, e-mail: info@tmdinosaur.org or visit the organization’s Web site at www.tmdinosaur.org.
No comments:
Post a Comment