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December 16, 2022
MoAW
presents
TYRANNOSAURUS REX
King of the Tyrant Lizards
THE CRETACEOUS PERIOD
from 140 million to
65 million years ago
Marking the appearance of flowers, the fertile Cretaceous period was named for vast deposits of chalk (creta in Latin), rich in fossils and widely distributed throughout the world. The distribution of the continents was beginning to resemble that of the present, although a great shallow sea flowing from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico separated the supercontinent of Laurasia into Asiamerica (East Asia and Western North America) and Euramerica (Europe and Eastern North America). Marked by a rich emergence of advanced dinosaurs, the Late Cretaceous, 75 million years ago, was a time of tremendous volcanic upheaval as mountain ranges and new islands were being formed. The drifting of the continents toward the polar regions brought on significant changes in seasonal weather. No longer able to roam between the continents, many of the later dinosaurs evolved exclusively in Asiamerica. The dominant creatures of the period, most species lasted no more than 5 million years before disappearing from the fossil record, often followed by more advanced descendants. This period lasted until 65 million years ago, ending with a catastrophic mass extinction second only to that of the Permian. Nearly half of all the Cretaceous plants and animals, both marine and terrestrial, suddenly vanished. Among them were the dinosaurs.
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Photograph: Dean Keefer
Barnum Brown, the man who discovered T-rex.
"What a tyrant!" In the 1890s, Brown's discovery of Tyrannosaurus rex was just the beginning. For the next six decades, he would travel the world in search of important fossils, from the baking heat of India to the humid jungles of Guatemala, and when not looking for fossils, Brown often supplemented his income by working for mining or oil companies. Even though Brown had flunked out of Columbia University and seldom wrote scientific papers, his expertise at finding and excavating fossils was unmatched—it is no wonder that dozens of the skeletons he collected still grace the American Museum of Natural History fossil halls. - Riley Black, Science Correspondent, Smithsonian Magazine.
Suborder Theropoda,
Family Tyrannosauridae
Tyrannosaurus rex
Late Cretaceous, Montana
One of the largest known predators to have walked the Earth (the females distinctly larger than the males), this invincibly massive, ferocious "terrible lizard" is a member of the taxonomic group Carnosauria of Late Cretaceous western North America and Asia. Surpassed in size only by the South American carnosaur Giganotosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex (“Tyrant Lizard King”) grew to lengths of as much as 50 feet, towering 20 feet high and weighing 5 to 7 tons. Their heads alone measured 4 to 5 feet, sporting jaws lined with long, saw-edged teeth, each one supported by ranks of replacements. Reaching maturity within 5 years, the life spans of these enormous creatures may have surpassed 100 years.
Fossil evidence of their actual metabolism is magnificently preserved in the sequential rings of growth spurts that scar the teeth. While strictly regarded by some as nothing more than scavengers, owing to their greatly reduced forelimbs which could not even reach their mouths, others consider these creatures the most fearsome hunters ever to have existed, balanced for swift running by their long tails.
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Presumed to have dealt mostly with the animal’s senses, the brain of Tyrannosaurus rex was not small for a dinosaur although compared to the size of the creature’s body it was remarkably diminutive. This cranial endocast preserves the size and shape of the brain of a Tyrannosaurus rex. The structure of the brain is self-explanatory. The larger portion at the base operates the movement of its enormous body, the portion at the top is designated for sensing the world: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, and the middle portion represents intellectual activity. | |
This iapectacular solated maxilla, once the largest known, is from the University of California, Berkeley. The indentations that run along the bottom portion of the jawline are evidence of lip muscle attachment. | |
CURRENT EXHIBTIONS ON DISPLAY | |
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ALL UNDER HEAVEN
Earth, Heaven,
and the Afterlife
A Very Special Gift From
Marlene and Bruce Kanter,
Heather James Fine Art
Tim Walsh
Michael H. Healy
Tianxia (天下) or, All Under Heaven, is the ideal of a perfect and harmonious empire in the eyes of the people.
50 original antiquities spanning millennia (3,600 B.C.E. to 1920s C.E.) of ancient Asian cultures, from mysterious funerary objects and life-size protective temple guardians, to delicate terracotta sculptures created for the tombs of the deceased. A tapestry of silk and gold thread, a rare lacquered cosmetic box, earthen vessels, and bronze statues, these ancient treasures from China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, celebrate everlasting happiness, remembrance, and eternal life.
This grand collection of 50 Asian antiquities is divided into three sections: Earthly possessions, objects used by the living, the temple icons of Buddha and Shiva (Heaven), and funerary goods, objects found in the tombs of the elite (the Afterlife). Representing China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, MoAW premieres these dazzling artifacts for the first time together in one exhibition All Under Heaven: Earth, Heaven, and the Afterlife.
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PALEO: The Story of Life
4.6 billion years of fossil history
Drawn from the world’s foremost fossil collections, the unprecedented treasury of fossil casts known as PALEO: The Story of Life brings together in one exhibition some of the most exciting finds in the history of paleontology from over a century of worldwide excavations, exhibited in geological, chronological order.
From 2.5 billion-year-old single cellular cyanobacteria responsible for the oxygenation of the atmosphere to the first multicellular life of 700 million years ago, PALEO: The Story of Life spans 4.6 billion years in scope. From the Precambrian to the Paleozoic Era, from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods of the Mesozoic Era to mammals and prehistoric humans of the Cenozoic Era (including the famous Lucy skeleton), this internationally acclaimed, comprehensive collection dramatically illustrates the awesome story of prehistoric life on Earth.
Displaying casts of rare fossils from the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, this prestigious collection includes skeletons, skulls, claws, and eggs gathered from such revered museums as the Smithsonian Institution, the American Museum of Natural History, The Royal Ontario Museum, the Carnegie Museum, and the National Museums of Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, as well as many others.
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THE CRAB NEBULA (M1) IN TAURUS.
Photographed with the 26-inch Crossley Reflector at Lick Observatory. Copyright Regents, University of California. Lick Observatory photograph.
STARSCAPE:
A Journey To The
Beginning of Time
This spectacular collection of 33 space photographs combines breathtaking digitalized images from the historic Mariner, Viking, and Voyager probes with stunning photographs from the Apollo lunar missions, the Hubble Space Telescope, and ground-based observatories. Gathered from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the California Institute of Technology, the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the Hansen Planetarium, this awesome display of cosmic spectacles is a journey to the early days of the cosmos.
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photo: Steven Salisbury
LUCY:
(Australopithecus afarensis)
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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JURASSIC WONDERS
11 Lifesize Metal Dinosaurs
Public Art Display
created by
Ricardo Breceda
MoAW presents JURASSIC WONDERS, a public art installation in collaboration with Cathedral City, displaying 11 lifesize Dinosaurs created by renowned artist Ricardo Breceda. Divided into 4 stunning dioramas on the corner of Buddy Rogers Drive and East Palm Canyon Drive across the street from City Hall, this magnificent exhibition will be on view until December 31, 2022.
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TUTANKHAMUN
"Wonderful Things"
Treasures From The Pharaoh's Tomb
2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon. To share in the commemoration, MoAW's "Wonderful Things" exhibition is on a nationwide tour. Click on the link below to see the installation on the banks of the Sacramento River at Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding CA.
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FREE WEEKEND ADMISSION TO ALL
COACHELLA VALLEY RESIDENTS
Museum of Ancient Wonders Offers Free Admission on Saturdays and Sundays
to All Residents in Association with Nine Coachella Valley Municipalities
Beginning September 3, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays and from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. on Sundays, local families are invited to visit MoAW at no charge. This generous offer will end on December 31, 2022.
Free admission will require all attending residents to produce identification that lists a local address, signing of the registry, and fill out a brief survey identifying at least one object in the museum’s collection that inspired them to want to learn more about the subject.
For further information visit: www.MoAW.org or call (442) 268-5004.
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Become A Member of MoAW
THE PERFECT GIFT FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON
The newest perk of membership: Free admission to more than 1,200 museums nationwide through the North American Reciprocal Museum Program (NARM) Plus, discounts at their museum shops and restaurants (if given to their members). Local museums include the Palm Springs Art Museum and Cabot's Pueblo Museum, several museums in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, throughout California, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia, including Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. This is available to all members at the Donor Level ($125.00) or higher. Members who qualify will be receiving new membership cards with the NARM logo to be used at participating museums.
Current members who would like to upgrade their membership to take advantage of this new benefit please give us a call, (442) 268-5004.
Click below for more information and to join.
THANK YOU
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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, establishing museum diversity for the Coachella Valley.
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Saturday
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
The last admission is taken one hour before closing.
Admission:
$15.00 Adults
$12.00 Students, Seniors, & Military
$ 3.00 Discount available for Coachella Valley Residents
$10.00 Group Rate for 10 or more individuals.
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, MoAW is a member of the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association, the American Alliance of Museums, and the California Association of Museums. Contributions are tax-deductible and gratefully accepted.
MoAW IS SPONSORED WITH FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
BY THE FOLLOWING:
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Alberto Acosta, Executive Director & Chief Curator
Joseph McCabe, CFO & Director of Development
DEW FOUNDATION
By contributing financial support, DEW Foundation joins hands with effective charitable organizations to meet human needs and promote the common good worldwide, encouraging and empowering our family’s personal involvement.
Art Laboe Foundation, Inc.
A beloved resident of Palm Springs, Art Laboe was an American disc jockey, songwriter, record producer, and radio station owner. He was generally credited with coining the term "Oldies but Goodies".
Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation
The mission of the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation
is to support Arts & Culture, Youth, Educational, Medical and,
Social Servies, and Community activities that enhance the quality of life.
Municipalities & Societies
Cathedral City Historical Society
Council Members Raymond Gregory &
Nancy Ross, Cathedral City
City of Rancho Mirage
Members and Patrons
THANK YOU
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