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November 18, 2022
MoAW
presents
LUCY: The Beginnings of Humankind
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Photo: Steven Salisbury
THE CENOZOIC ERA
from 65 million years ago to the present
A series of glaciations distinguishes the era that includes the present. By the time the dust settled on top of the last Cretaceous sediment, another era had dawned, the Cenozoic ("Recent Life"), giving rise to rapidly diversifying groups of mammals.
No longer relying on their diminutive size for survival in a world dominated by giants, the mammals immediately assumed the roles of chief competitors for supremacy over the newly abundant territory left by the passing of the dinosaurs, producing such giants of their own as the great wooly mammoths of the Ice Age.
As the early mammals diversified throughout the Paleocene ("Ancient Recent") and the subsequent Eocene ("Recent Dawn") epochs, from 64 to 36 million years ago, many of the modern mammal groups began to appear in the fossil record. Of these early mammals, several became extinct as rainforests retreated from the frost during the Oligocene ("Few Recent"), which ended 26 million years ago. The Miocene ("Less Recent"), which followed, lasted until 6 million years ago.
Along with the appearance of large, new mountain ranges, the spreading of grasslands during this period gave rise to a vast radiation of grazing animals.
As the climate became colder throughout the Pliocene ("More Recent"), from 6 to 1.6 million years ago, numerous mammals became extinct while modern plants and animals appeared, including early humankind. During the Pleistocene ("Most Recent") epoch, from 1.6 million to 10,000 years ago, vast continental glaciers spread and receded as over half of the giant mammals became extinct following the appearance of modern humans.
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American Museum of Natural History
New York City
Australopithecus afarensis
Diorama
Journalists often ask me when I go to the field, 'What do you expect to find?' And my answer always is, 'The unexpected,' because we're just looking at the tip of the iceberg; we've just scratched the surface. - Donald Johanson, American paleoanthropologist known for discovering the fossil of a female hominin australopithecine known as "Lucy" in the Afar Triangle region of Hadar, Ethiopia in 1974 and the best-selling author of LUCY, The Beginnings of Humankind.
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Order Primates,
Family Hominidae
Australopithecus afarensis
Middle Pliocene, Ethiopia
The genealogy of humankind emerges with the line of australopithecine hominids, which appears to have begun between 4 and 5 million years ago with the appearance of Australopithecus anamensis (“Southern Ape of the Lake”) and its earliest descendants, the well-documented Australopithecus afarensis (“Southern Ape of Afar”).
Presumably descended from a divergent group of Miocene apes such as Kenyapithecus, these early species of gracile australopiths are the most primitive known. Among the oldest and most complete remains of an erect-walking ancestral hominid ever found, this amazing afarensis skeleton is dated at about 3.2 million years. Known throughout the world as “Lucy” (from a Beatles song), it was discovered in Radar, Ethiopia in 1974 by Donald Johanson and Tom Gray.
Lucy was 3-and-a-half feet tall and about 25 years old when she died. Though her scarcely worn wisdom teeth had only recently erupted, she was already showing signs of bone disease on her spine. Whether she accidentally drowned or quietly laid down in the sand and died, her remains were deposited on the shore of an ancient lake and covered over by sediment until eventually exposed by rain.
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National Geographic commissioned this portrait based on the fossilized remains of a four-year-old Australopithecus afarensis, commonly referred to as "Lucy's Child." | |
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CALL TO ACTION
RESIDENTS & PHILANTHROPISTS OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY
November 11, 2022
The Museum of Ancient Wonders (MoAW) is the Coachella Valley’s newest archaeological and natural history museum with a rich inventory of exhibitions devoted to the worlds of ancient civilization and prehistoric life.
Mission Statement: 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.
Currently located in Cathedral City’s Cathedral Gateway Plaza at the corner of HWY 111 (69028-B East Palm Canyon Drive) at Date Palm Drive, in 7,400 sq. ft., MoAW is in search of a larger facility to house all of its collections without the need to rotate due to limited square footage. We seek assistance for general operating expenses, marketing, and public relations, to make crucial acquisitions to enhance MoAW’s core exhibitions, and to bring traveling exhibitions to the Valley from the Smithsonian Institute, National Geographic, and many other traveling exhibition firms.
Founded in 2019 by Joseph McCabe, MBA, and Alberto Acosta, former CEO and Chief Curator of the International Museum Institute of New York, MoAW is here to create museum diversity and to enhance universal curriculum development for local and surrounding school districts by housing permanent collections of replicated artifacts and genuine antiquities from Egypt, Africa, Greece, Asia, and Mesoamerica along with scientifically produced laboratory fossil casts gathered from more than 30 natural history museums worldwide depicting the story of the development of life on Earth.
Local museums are a vital force in the educational and cultural heritage of ever-growing communities. It has been more than 25 years since the establishment of a new museum in the Valley. Everyone is encouraged to contribute to MoAW’s efforts by helping secure a stable financial future for the Coachella Valley’s newest unique educational and cultural experience. Naming rights for galleries and a donor wall of recognition are offered. We invite you to schedule a visit to MoAW and to learn how you can become a founding member by calling (442) 268-5004.
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. For further information, please visit www.MoAW.org
NOTE: Please review the links titled Visitor Reviews provided before the end of this SPOTLIGHT Newsletter to read the outstanding remarks made by tourists who have visited MoAW. Now is the time to see in these reviews how important MoAW is to the educational and cultural life of the Coachella Valley region and the County of Riverside. With your generous support, MoAW is destined to grow in stature and prominence.
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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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Agnes Pelton - Artist of the Cove
Cathedral City
Historical Society
presents
Then and Now
A 40th-year anniversary exhibition of the history of Cathedral City
A comprehensive photographic and artifact-rich timeline of the history of Cathedral City greets you upon entering the lobby of the Museum of Ancient Wonders. This is an exhibition of recollections of the people and places that created Cathedral City's early history and to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its burgeoning progress, from the past to the present, THEN AND NOW is a loving tribute to the City of Cathedral City.
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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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