Amongst The Dinosaurs
Posted: Monday, August 15, 2011
by Hifzur Rehman
Self Improvement
Let me admit that I am not a fan of dinosaurs or a person who love to go to museums. However, I recently visited the Royal Tyrrell Museum located in the Canadian Badlands, 6 km northwest of Drumheller. Alberta, on the advice of a friend and also out of my own curiosity.
I am glad to tell you that after entering the museum I found myself totally in a new world ruled by the giant beasts millions and billions of years ago. It is not a fiction but the truth which was first unearthed by a man named Joseph Burr Tyrrell, who discovered the first dinosaur skeleton in the Red Deer River Valley in 1884. Since then 40 huge full size skeletons and 130,000 fossils have been discovered and the search is still going on.
There is a “Dinosaur Hall” in the Museum where huge full size skeletons of dinosaurs are displayed in such an artistic manner that the visitors are totally amazed and taken away by their imagination. I sat down on a bench and closed my eyes. My imagination, after breaking all the barriers of the passed time, took me to a strange unknown world where giant dinosaurs were roaming, roaring, fighting, chasing or just relaxing. I was witnessing the deep ocean waves, lush green mountains and thick forests of the Badlands.
The Royal Tyrrell Museum has the biggest collection of dinosaurs skeletons and fossils, than any other museum of the world. The exhibits are spread over an area of 20,000 square meters with various galleries, exhibition halls and theaters. You can even watch from the glass windows of the “Preparation Lab”, the expert technicians cleaning and preparing the fossils for display and research. Be sure to visit the Nexen Science Hall, where interactive stations help prepare you for your journey through the museum.
You will also find in the museum "Lords of the Land"; "Burgess Shale", a diorama of dozens of creatures, "Devonian Reef", a life-size model of a 375 million year old reef; and "Age of Mammals" and "Ice Ages" which cover mammalian life in the Cenozoic. "Triassic Giant" is a 1,700 square feet (160 m2) long specimen of the largest known marine reptile. The 21 metres (69 ft) long ichthyosaur Shonisaurus sikanniensis recovered from the shores of the Sikanni Chief River and a garden with 600 living species of plants.
The Museum provides facilities for guided and self guided tours of the Badlands, research facilities for scholars and students, school programs for all age groups and summer camps for families. International meetings, seminars, workshops and conferences are also held at the museum from time to time.
For your take home souvenirs, you can visit the Gift Shop that offers a good variety of souvenirs, toys, museum branded clothing and books. For your appetite needs there is a good cafeteria that serves complete meals, grill selections, snacks and refreshments at reasonable price.
If you are visiting Alberta, Canada, then I will strongly recommend you to visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum. You will not regret later.
The Museum remains open year round seven days a week from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm during Spring/Summer (May 15 – August 31). During Fall/Winter (September 1 – May 14) the Museum remains open from from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm. Closed on Mondays (except public holidays) . Parking is free and photography is allowed in the museum.
About the Author:
Hifzur Rehman is an author of articles on personal growth, health, education, beauty, travel, success and happiness. He is also the editor of his website: http://www.selfimprovement.ch .
Hifzur Rehman (C) 2011. All Rights Reserved.
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