If you're looking for an up close and personal look at the lives of dinosaurs, you need to head to the American Museum of Natural History to check out the new exhibit The World's Largest Dinosaurs. Once inside, you'll have access to an amazing look at Sauropods - like the 60 foot long Mamenchisaurus to get an understanding of how the largest dinosaurs lived 65 million years ago.
While the AMNH is already known for its spectacular display of dinosaur fossils, it was a lot of fun to check out the interactive exhibit showcasing how creatures this massive were able to roam the earth for 160 million years ago. The kiddo is going to freak out when we take him to see it. Greeting everyone at the entrance to the exhibit is the Argentinosaurus, thought to be the largest sauropod ever to walk the earth, measuring 140 feet and weighing in at 90 tons.
As I turned the corner to the first exhibit, I was immediately reminded of the sheer scale of the sauropods. Looking up at the fifteen foot hind leg of the Supersaurus, compared to a human skeleton, and even an elephant skull provides an awe inspiring contrast in size and set my perspective on what I was seeing for the rest of the exhibit.
Rounding the corner into the main exhibition area, I was greeted by the 60 foot long Mamenchisaurus which spans the width of the hall and stands as the centerpiece in the middle of the floor. What I thought was clever, is that this is not just a replica, but an integral part of the exhibit. As I worked my way around the massive beast, which was half covered with "skin," parts were exposed, so you could see the inner workings of the dinosaur. The entire mid-section of the body was transformed into a narrated video projected onto one side of the body that takes you through the Mamenchisaurus' respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems. Benches are seated adjascent to the display so you can sit to watch the several minute show.
From there, you can visit each area of the dinosaur exhiit which has been clearly labeled with different colored signs like "Meet," "Eat," "React," and "Reach" - each banner delves into a brief synopsis of the section you're in and provides some fun facets of the dinosaur's life. For instance on the sign "Beat" the question is posed "How hard did their hearts work?."
By far my favorite, and no doubt will be for kids and adults alike, is the dig pit, inspired by the Howe Quarry in Wyoming where over 4,000 sauropod fossils have been found. You can find the dig pit at the far end of the exhibit, basically just follow the Mamenchisaurus' tail. Here I was able to pick up a pair of goggles, a brush and a chisel and dive right in to start excavating sauropod bones. The pit is filled with a special blend of sand and paraffin wax, making it feel like you're actually excavating at a real dig site. It takes some work, and is fun to see bones slowly get exposed underneath. The pit can be used over and over again, and the sand/wax blend can be remixed and poured back into the pit once all the bones have been unearthed, providing endless interactive fun.
The exhibit officially opened Saturday, April 16th at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. The star of the show, the 60 foot long Mamenchisaurus, began tweeting fun facts and exhibition updates @Giant_Dino on April 11th.
