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November 25, 2022
MoAW
presents
JURASSIC WONDERS
A Public Art Display
The Spectacular Dinosaur Sculptures
created by renowned artist, Ricardo Breceda
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Ricardo Breceda, Artist
Metal Sculpture
"How does one become an artist? For Ricardo Arroyo Breceda, the answer is by accident -- literally and figuratively."
"Ricardo's seven-year-old daughter, Lianna, said, 'Daddy, make me a life-size dinosaur, like those in Jurassic Park.' With scrap metal, wire, and welding machine, and with no formal art training whatsoever, Ricardo set out on a journey that went well beyond his daughter's request." - Diana Lindsay, author of Ricardo Breceda - The Accidental Artist.
Eleven life-size dinosaurs will greet you at the corner of Buddy Rogers and East Palm Canyon Drive (HWY 111) in Cathedral City across the street from City Hall's Fountain of Life. Divided and corraled into four separate dioramas, Ricardo Breceda brings the Mesozoic Era back to life with his riveting sculptures. A spectacular public art display, don't miss the opportunity to walk among the dinosaurs! This Spotlight highlights three of them.
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Spinosaurus Aegyptiacus
(Spine Lizard from Egypt)
Bahariya Formation in Egypt
Spinosaurus was among the largest of all known terrestrial carnivores, and comparable to other large meat-eating dinosaurs including theropods (resembling 3-toed bird feet) such as Tyrannosaurus rex and Giganotosaurus. The dorsal sail along its spine was used for thermoregulation and display for mating. Like modern crocodilians, it was probably highly semiaquatic and lived both on land and in water. Spinosaurus is known to have eaten fish, and most scientists believe that it hunted both land and aquatic prey.
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Stegosaurus stenops
(Armored Plate Lizard)
Cleveland Lloyd Quarry, Utah
Discovered in Colorado in 1877, Stegosaurus (“Plate Lizard”) grew to a length of up to 30 feet and weighed up to 2 tons. The bony armored plates guarding the neck, back, and tail of the huge Jurassic herbivore were attached to powerful skin muscles and were probably capable of being raised and lowered to protect the spine or the flanks. Honeycombed with capillaries, they may also have served as a heat exchange for warming (or perhaps cooling) the animal’s bloodstream, although their actual placement and function remain an enigma.
Aiding in the precision of the movement of the enormous hindquarters and spiked tail, an enlargement of the spinal cord at the pelvis, much larger than the creature’s brain, was long believed to be its “second brain.” For its bulk, Stegosaurus had the smallest skull of any dinosaur, with a brain no larger than a walnut. Its front legs, only half the length of its back legs, indicate that it probably evolved from a 2-legged ancestor and could easily have reared on its strong hind limbs to feed on the higher tree branches. The deadly spikes attached to the tip of its powerful tail were used as a defense against predators in Late Jurassic Colorado, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming.
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Tyrannosaurus rex
(King of the Tyrant Lizards)
Montana
One of the largest known predators to have walked the Earth (the females distinctly larger than the males), this invincibly massive, ferocious carnosaur of Late Cretaceous western North America and Asia was 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.
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CALL TO ACTION
RESIDENTS & PHILANTHROPISTS OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY
November 25, 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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