Today we went to the Western Center Museum for Archaeology and Paleontology located in Hemet. This museum is out in the middle of nowhere at the new Diamond Valley Lake Reservoir. When they began construction on the reservoir, they ran across numerous fossils of extinct mammals. Paleontologists had to work quickly to preserve and remove the fossils in order to not delay the construction of the reservoir. What would have normally taken a complete season to remove one mammal was done in the matter of hours. This is Max, one of the mastodons uncovered. Below the display are the real bones that they uncovered. In this room there are some hands-on activities for the kids. They provide clay to make fossils and crayons to do rubbings of different animals. 
Here is a really neat way to show how an excavation is done. This section is actually the floor of the room where you can walk on top of what was excavated in the manner it was found. It kind of gives you the real sense of uncovering it yourself. Grandma was kind of paranoid rolling on top of it. She thought it was just glass and not able to withstand any weight. Of course the boys had to jump up and down to show her how strong it was and get her more upset.
Plant Portraits is one of the travelling exhibits currently being shown. This collection, showing about 80 paintings, depicts California wildflowers and plant life painted by A.R. Valentien from 1908 -1918. He had been commissioned by Ellen Scripps to paint these in hopes of being published. Unfortunately the cost of publishing was too much for Miss Scripps and eventually upon her death the collection of 1100 paintings was donated to the San Diego Natural History Museum. These paintings are amazing. The detail and color are extremely rich. Here is Grandma and the boys next to a painting of Mariposa Lilies. All in all this little museum was fun to see and thankfully it is in the middle of nowhere so there was practically no one there.
No comments:
Post a Comment