(Photo above courtesy of High Desert Museum)
Dinosaurs Take Flight bridges the span between dinosaurs and birds
Which came first, the feather or the bird? Learn the answer in Dinosaurs Take Flight: The Art of Archaeopteryx, a new exhibition that opens at the High Desert Museum on Saturday, October 14.
Art meets science in this exhibition, which features more than 50 pieces of original artwork, murals, sculptures, interactive displays and a collection of fossils from the Solnhofen limestone in Germany, where Archaeopteryx lived some 150 million years ago. The name Archaeopteryx is from two Greek words meaning “ancient wing.”
“Archaeopteryx has been long considered as the ‘first bird’ by paleontologists,” said the Museum’s Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. “Fossils of Archaeopteryx that were discovered in 1861provided a critical bridge between dinosaurs and birds and have sparked the understanding of the origin of birds and flight.”
Six renowned paleo-artists from around the world worked closely with scientists to create stunning images of what the raven-sized dinosaur looked like. The exhibition runs through April 4, 2018.
An Exclusive Members’ Exhibition Preview will be held on Friday, October 13, starting at 6:30 pm. The evening will feature two presentations by Dr. Nick Famoso, chief of paleontology and museum curator at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, at 7:00 pm and 7:40 pm. He will discuss several examples of convergent evolution where organisms evolved similar characteristics despite being unrelated to each other. Cost to attend the preview is free for Museum members and $5 for guests. RSVP for the event on the Museum’s website athighdesertmuseum.org/events/dinosaurs.
Other events associated with this exhibition are scheduled for the fall including The Origin and Evolution of Feathers and Flight on November 2 at 6:00 pm. Dr. Julia Clarke, professor and Wilson Centennial Fellow in Vertebrate Paleontology at The University of Texas at Austin, will share her research into the evolution of flight and feathers and discuss the challenges of paleontological research. Cost is $3 for members and $7 for non-members.
A Night at the High Desert Museumis a family-friendly sleepover for kids ages 5 to 13 and their adult chaperoneson November 3 and 4, from 5:00 pm through 9:00 am. Dinner and a light breakfast will be provided.Cost is $75 for members and $85 for non-members.
On November 18, from 10:30 am – 12 pm, young artists will use clues from fossils to learn how paleo-artists reconstruct the missing pieces of extinct animals and their environments during How Dinosaurs Came to Fly: Drawing on the Clues. Ideal for families of 6- to 12-year-olds, this workshop costs $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Seating is limited, so registration and pre-payment is required.
For more information on these programs or to register for an event,contact the Museum at 541-382-4754 ext. 241 or visit the website at highdesertmuseum.org/calendar.
Dinosaurs Take Flight: The Art of Archaeopteryxis made possible by 1859 Oregon’s Magazine, Bend Cultural Tourism Fund and The Bulletin, and with support from the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation.
THE HIGH DESERT MUSEUM opened in 1982 and brings regional wildlife, culture, art and natural resources together to promote an understanding of the natural and cultural heritage of North America’s high desert country. The Museum uses indoor and outdoor exhibits, wildlife in natural habitats, and living history demonstrations to help people discover and appreciate the high desert environment. The Museum is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is a Smithsonian Affiliate. http://www.highdesertmuseum.org
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