A bit of a different nature and wildlife post today, but it still counts!
I went to the Kenosha Public Museum & Dinosaur Discovery Museum yesterday for the first time. I learned about these two free museums about a year ago and finally had the chance to go check them out.
At the public museum, one of the main exhibits is the mammoth display. This is the Hebior mammoth fossil replica. The real Hebior mammoth fossil was found in Kenosha County only about 10 miles from the museum and is one of two mammoth fossils found in the area. From what I understand it was also the most complete mammoth fossil found when it was excavated in the 90's.
They also had a representation of the Schaefer Mammoth site, which is the other mammoth found in Kenosha County. Both mammoths were found within a few miles of each other.
They also had mammoth teeth and other parts on display.
Megalodon teeth among other things.
They had a massive display of arrowheads, points, fish hooks, drills, and other old rock tools. This is only a small amount of what they had on display.
There was lots of taxidermy on display too. Tons. I didn't photograph the majority, but I thought this pronghorn was pretty cool to see since I doubt I'll ever be out west to see them in the wild. I've always been fascinated by them. They're the second fastest land animal in the world, built for speed to escape predators, except all the predators they would've needed that speed to escape from are extinct.
extinct American lion skull replica
extinct Oreodont skull fossil
The Dinosaur Discovery Museum was maybe a few blocks away in a relatively small building. It has the largest skeletal cast collection of theropods in North America and is the only museum to focus on the link between prehistoric land dinosaurs and today's birds. The majority of the collection is all in one room, so there was a lot to see in a relatively small space.
Archaeopteryx fossil cast
Tyrannosaurus rex, and a harpy eagle skeleton above it.
Allosaurus (and Compsognathus on the lower left, and Sinosauropteryx in the slab just above that)
Carnotaurus
Coelophysis. This actually includes fossils from two animals. There's a crocodile-related animal in its stomach that was believed to be its last meal before it died.
Here's the entire main display, which includes 24 species, four being modern day birds.
In the basement of the building they have Carthage Institute of Paleontology's lab where you can look through glass windows and see paleontologists at work - nobody was in there while I was there but there were some actual fossils in there.
It was a fun day and it's great that these two museums were not only free, but also quality museums. Definitely recommend if anyone ever happens to be in southeastern Wisconsin and is interested in this kind of stuff.
sorry. I'll have to look to see what I did different this time
