MoAW presents
MESOZOICA:
The Age of Dinosaurs
Thunderlizards of the Jurassic
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From the dawn of the Age of Dinosaurs 250 million years ago to the last of their kind 65 million years ago these scientifically produced laboratory cast fossils of legendary discoveries guide us through the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods known as the Mesozoic Era. Gathered from more than 30 museums worldwide, this collection includes fully-mounted dinosaurs, skulls, teeth, claws, and eggs, displayed in geological, chronological order to illustrate the awesome story of the evolution of dinosaurs to their ultimate demise. |
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THE JURASSIC PERIOD
from 195 million to
140 million years ago
The Jurassic period, with its lush rainforests, derives its name from an abundantly fossiliferous sequence of chalky deposits discovered in the Jura Mountains bordering Switzerland and France. For the 55 million year duration of the Jurassic period, the supercontinent of Pangaea was gradually being wrenched into 2 separate masses, Gondwanaland (Africa, South America, Australia, India, Arabia, and Antarctica) and Laurasia (Europe, Asia, Greenland, and North America). Among the survivors of the Triassic extinction, tiny primitive mammals began to diversify during the Early Jurassic. By the dawning of the Late Jurassic (150 million years ago), the Atlantic Ocean had formed and the drifting continents had barely begun to resemble their present shapes. Gigantic dinosaurs that cared for their young had evolved from their smaller Late Triassic ancestors. Land bridges between the continents allowed the thriving herds of dinosaurs to migrate across great distances. Palm-like plants appeared and flourished throughout the warm, swampy landscapes of the period, nourishing the largest creatures that ever walked the Earth.
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Order Saurischia, Suborder Sauropodomorpha
Apatosaurus ajax
Late Jurassic, Utah
The regal, long-necked sauropods were by far the largest land animals that ever lived. With a long, sloping skull and a single nostril situated on top of its skull, Apatosaurus (“Mystery Lizard”) was a member of the diplodocid family, shorter in length but much heavier than the closely related Diplodocus. Measuring 70 ft. in length and weighing 33 tons, these gigantic herbivores possessed long, serpentine necks and even longer whiplike tails. Because the first skeletons discovered were not found associated with any skulls, this dinosaur was originally described as “Brontosaurus” (“Thunder Lizard”), a name which persisted until the genus was finally correctly identified as Apatosaurus, previously known only from a skull that had been named before the discovery of the headless Brontosaurus skeletons, hence its name prevails. For a long time, some museums continued to traditionally exhibit their Apatosaurus skeletons with the heads of Camarasaurus. Known only from North American specimens, they lived in vast herds that ranged throughout Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and Oklahoma. This classic leg bone (femur) was recovered from the famous Morrison Formation. Brigham Young University.
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Order Saurischia, Suborder Sauropodomorpha
Camarasaurus lentus
Late Jurassic, Utah
This juvenile skull specimen, its body measuring 17 feet in length, is considered one of the most perfectly preserved sauropods ever to be recovered. Sauropod footprints indicate that these gentle herbivores cared for their young, guarding them on all sides as they wandered together, feeding on the highest tree branches. Found in the famous Cleveland Lloyd Quarry. Carnegie Museum.
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Order Saurischia,
Suborder Sauropodmorpha Hypselosaurus priscum
Cretaceous, France
This 40-foot long sauropod, characterized by its short, blunt head and small teeth, laid the largest eggs known, about 12 inches in diameter. The folded embryo within would have hatched to a size twice the length of the egg. Larger eggs probably would have required a shell too thick for hatching. Hypselosaurus (“High Crested Lizard”) is the only sauropod dinosaur that has ever been found in association with its eggs. Private collection.
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MoAW's mission is to educate a diverse audience about the history of ancient civilizations and prehistoric life using fossils and artifacts from a variety of cultures and time periods; to enhance universal curriculum development for local and surrounding school districts, colleges, and universities while establishing museum diversity for the Coachella Valley.
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Saturday
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
(last admission is taken at 5:00 p.m.)
Sunday 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
(last admission is taken at 4:00 p.m.)
Admission:
$15.00 Adults
$12.00 Students, Seniors, & Military
$ 3.00 Discount available for Coachella Valley Residents
MoAW is a member of the American Alliance of Museums and the California Association of Museums.
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Coming Attraction
March through September 2022
the Museum of Ancient Wonders
presents
VESSELS OF THE GODS
Treasures of the Ancient Greeks
1650 to 410 B.C.E
Reflecting the brilliance of a millennium of ancient Aegean culture, four distinct periods produced the designs of these vases: Minoan, Mycenaean, Corinthian, and Attic. Essentially consisting of silhouetted figures drawn against a background of red, black, or white, this art form gradually dies out after the Persian wars, c. 475-450 B.C. Shaped and painted by hand, these exquisite reproductions were created in Greece by master artists from the originals housed in The National Museum, Athens, The Heraklion Museum, The Thera Museum, The Corinth Museum, The Delphi Museum, The Louvre Museum, The Vatican Museum, and The Museo Civico, Brescia.
Please, feel free to preview this collection on MoAW's website: www.moaw.org
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Next Week:
Do you have a favorite piece at MoAW you would like to see highlighted in our weekly email? You can visit www.moaw.org, see the collections tab, visit the catalogs, and view Spotlights From The Past.
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Members Perks
So many reasons to join MoAW, you help keep the museum open, allow us to acquire new artifacts, plan and present programs including the Second Friday Fantasy, and help local students learn about ancient civilizations and prehistoric life.
For all that you do to help us we thank you in many ways:
- Unlimited free admission for one year
- Free Guest Passes (see Membership levels for details)
- Invitations to Members-Only exhibition receptions and programs
- Priority registration and discounts on programs and special events
- Special rental rates for hosting events (see membership levels for details)
- Copies of exhibition catalogs (see Membership levels for details)
- Unique travel opportunities through the Museum Travel Alliance
Click below for more information and to join.
THANK YOU
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ON DISPLAY AT THE
MUSEUM OF ANCIENT WONDERS
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FACES OF AFRICA:
A Mystical View of
Tribal Heritage
(38 Replica Masks and Sculptures)
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TUTANKHAMUN:
"Wonderful Things"
Treasures From The Pharaoh's Tomb
(124 Egyptian replicas)
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MESOZOICA:
The Age of Dinosaurs
(Approximately 100 fossil cast dinosaur elements and fully-mounted skeletons from around the world.)
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LUCY:
The Story of Human Origins
(Courtesy of the Institute of Human Origins and the National Museum of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa)
On view exclusively at the
Museum of Ancient Wonders
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