Denver Museum Of Nature And Science Exhibits

When The Cataclysm Struck

Sixty-six million years ago, a meteorite larger than Mount Everest slammed into Earth. This was the single worst day for life on our planet, when 75 percent of species went extinct in a geologic blink of an eye.

Obviously, the planet and living creatures rebounded. Humans are testament to the recovery of life. But how did it happen? For decades, scientists have tried to squeeze every bit of data possible out of the rocks from the first million years after the dinosaur extinction. But, the results of over 100 years of hammering away are just fragments of teeth, an occasional jaw, and an ultra-rare skull once every few decades. As a consequence, we dont know much about the mammals that survived. Until now.

The discovery of an extraordinary treasure trove of fossils near Colorado Springs by Drs. Tyler Lyson and Ian Miller reveals in striking detail how life recovered after the catastrophic asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Their new research, published in Science magazine, paints a vivid portrait of the first million years after the impact.

Next Free Night At Denver Museum Of Nature & Science On June 29 Reserve Timed Tickets Now

Our wonderful Denver Museum of Nature & Science offers families so much to see, do and explore. A visit can easily fill the entire day with wonder, knowledge and lots of fun. And, thanks to our citys Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, you can expand your mind, not your wallet on the institutions annual FREE Days. The next one is is actually a FREE night from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29. Tickets are going fast, because this is Space Night!

Museum admission is FREE for everyone.

You do need to reserve your free, timed ticket. Because of the special celebration, tickets for the morning times are going quickly.

On Space Night special guests from local aerospace industries will host space-themed activities. Watch a 60 Minutes in Space presentation to get the latest in space news or spend some time in the Space Odyssey exhibition. Explore Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs, get lost in Mazes & Brain Games, catch an IMAX show or check out the Planetarium.

Sometimes the DMNS ticketing system is fussy. So, for tickets go here.

Where it says Selected Date click on the blue box to open up the calendar and choose Wednesday, June 29. Then, available times and tickets should appear.

Additionally, separate timed tickets are required for:

• SUE: The T-rex Experience

Tickets required for all members and guests, ages 3 and up.

Where you see the calendar in the blue box, click on it and choose June 29. Then, tickets will be available.

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Denver Museum Of Nature & Science

In 1868, pioneer and naturalist Edwin Carter arrived in Breckenridge, Colo., and devoted himself to his true lovethe birds and mammals of the Rocky Mountains. Carter soon assembled one of the most complete collections of Colorado fauna and displayed his specimens in his log cabin home, dubbed the Carter Museum.

As word spread of the Carter collection, the need became apparent for a larger fireproof building to preserve and display his growing natural history collection. Funds were soon raised and The Colorado Museum of Natural History was incorporated on December 6, 1900. The collections were soon enhanced with crystalline gold specimens from John F. Campion and butterflies and moths from John T. Mason.

A new building in Denvers City Park was completed and opened to the public in July 1908. Over the years the Museum has expanded with the addition of Phipps Auditorium , Gates Planetarium , an IMAX theater , a major 187,000-square-foot addition in 1987, and the Leprino Family Atrium and Anschutz Family Sky Terrace . Today the museum continues to evolve, expanding in both size and breadth of activities, as our exhibits, programs, research, and collections continue to offer opportunities for discovery. A variety of exhibitions, programs, and activities help museum visitors experience the natural wonders of Colorado, Earth, and the universe.

We hope you enjoy our work.

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Why We Were There: Dinosaurs

Thats right. Our focus was on the Prehistoric Journey exhibit. We had NEVER visited a dinosaur exhibition of any sort ever before this so we had no idea what to expect. Do you know what? Thats our new favorite way to experience an exhibit. There were no expectations ahead of time so we didnt know if we were seeing an awesome collection or something totally lame. Well, actually we know it wasnt lame as there were so many parts to the exhibition.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science knows how to do a dino-show. The Prehistoric Journey starts with pre-dinosaurs and then continues beyond them. Its fun to think about actually because the exhibition is set up like an actual story from micro-organisms to the scientists working on fossils. Its totally a storybook diorama and you get to be a character.

Mummys And Outer Space At The Denver Museum Of Nature And Science

FYI: four year olds dont all love mummies. We had to high-tail it out of this section, which made us sad, but it looked awesome. From tiny model Egyptian cities to beautifully painted ancient sarcophagi, there was a lot to explore. We only got to scrape the surface before somebody was begging us to leave the area because it creeped him out. Noted for future museums

Tip: maybe just share that youre viewing art vs view things related to death. Apparently our oldest is more sensitive to death-related subject matter than we thought. Maybe gauge it strategically before walking into an exhibit all about it.

The Space Odyssey exhibit was really cool!! We hit it last and didnt get to do everything, but seeing huge globes spining and changing was worth just the walk through. We did get to learn a bit about the sun, about space-exploring land-rovers and about other planets moons, but we didnt get to see everything. We couldve spent more than an hour in this small section because it was surprisingly hands-on.

Tip: take a moment to let your kids dress up like astronauts. Ours werent interested but there was a great dress up room with really cool space suits and props to play with. I wish wed got a picture

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Guitar: Instrument That Rocked The World

Fall 2021 Spring 2022

This autumn exhibition will take museum guests on an “exploration of the science, sound, history and pop culture behind the worlds most popular instrument.”

The exhibition celebrates all things “guitar,” from its origin and continued evolution to the music it creates and its cultural impact. Guests will explore STEAM concepts including sound waves, frequency, mathematical scales, engineering and more through a range of hands-on experiences.

The musical exhibition also features a collection of more than 70 instruments, ranging from the rare and antique to the wildly popular and innovative, as well as the worlds largest playable guitar. Measuring 43.5 feet long, the guitar has been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.

Reservations and a complete list of offerings are at dmns.org.

Space Race And Contributors

Explore an interactive map projection that highlights major political influences throughout the space race. Learn about the tools and the roles of designers, engineers and mathematicians that contributed to Apollo missions, from lead engineer of Saturn rockets, Wernher von Braun to female analysts known as human computers who influenced nearly every aspect of the space program.

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Awesome Day Of Family Fun In Denver

If we lived closer , we would absolutely purchase the Family Membership. Only $109.95, this is a steal of a deal that for a family of 4, which more than pays for itself in only two visits.

They keep things fresh and exciting for return visits. Ever-changing movies are played at the IMAX theatre, and special exhibits are offered, like the current Vikings: Beyond the Legend, open through August 13 .

You can easily spend an entire day exploring the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. And its a fun, educational, and just overall wonderful way to spend the day.

*o* *o* *o*

We received complimentary media admission to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. All opinions are my own.

Adjacent Counties Municipalities And Census

Denver features a with generally low humidity and around 3,100 hours of sunshine per year, although humid can be found nearby depending on exact location. It has four distinct seasons and receives most of its precipitation from April through August. Due to its inland location on the , at the foot of the , the region can be subject to sudden changes in weather.

are rare west of the I-25 corridor however, one notable exception was an tornado that struck 4.4 miles south of downtown on June 15, 1988. On the other hand, the suburbs east of Denver and the city’s east-northeastern extension can see a few tornadoes, often weak tornadoes, each spring and summer especially during June with the enhancement of the . The DCVZ, also known as the Denver Cyclone, is a variable vortex of storm-forming air flow usually found north and east of downtown, and which often includes the airport. Heavy weather from the DCVZ can disrupt airport operations. In a study looking at events in areas with a population of at least 50,000, Denver was found to be ranked 10th most prone to hail storms in the . In fact, Denver has received 3 of the top 10 in United States history, which occurred on July 11, 1990 July 20, 2009 and May 8, 2017, respectively.

Based on 30-year averages obtained from ‘s for the months of December, January and February, ranked Denver the 18th coldest major U.S. city as of 2014.

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Sue: The T Rex Experience

This exhibition will allow museum guests to uncover the mysteries of the Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops. With full-scale fossil casts, the experience also includes a multimedia show transporting guests to the Cretaceous forest.

Guests will learn how the SUE fossil, the most complete T. rex specimen ever discovered, was unearthed and how scientists continue to make discoveries about it.

The “Stonehenge” exhibition explores where, when, why and how Stonehenge was built.

Archaeological excavations and advances in scientific techniques are leading to a new understanding of Stonehenge after centuries of speculation. Evidence from Stonehenge itself, along with remains from its surrounding landscape, shed light on the people who constructed one of the most worlds most famous monuments.

This exhibition will immerse attendees in Stonehenges story through hundreds of artifacts and modern science.

Selection Of Temporary Exhibits

• Ancient Denver, a series of paintings by local artists that depict the Denver area from 300 million years ago to the present.
• Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed, a large exhibit covering art, culture, astronomy, religion, ball games and warfare, as well as potential reasons for the collapse of the Mayan empire.
• Whales: Giants of the Deep, an exhibit that originated in New Zealand, where there was a large whale-fishing industry. The exhibit includes whale skulls and skeletons, videos, cultural artifacts, and “explaration stations”.
• Traveling the Silk Road, artifacts from the ancient trade route, from Xian, the imperial city of China’s Tang Dynasty, to Istanbul.

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Denver Museum Of Nature And Science Virtual Tour

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is a natural history and science museum with a wide variety of exhibitions, programs, and activities focused on the natural history of the world.

The museums collection includes over one million objects in natural history and anthropological materials, as well as archival and library resources.

The Anthropology Collection contains over 50,000 objects and is made up of archaeological and ethnological artifacts. Additional holdings include the Ethnological Art Collection, and photographs and archival documents.

The museum provides programs in anthropology, geology, health science, paleontology, space science, and zoology.

The Planetarium features unidirectional, semi-reclining stadium seating, surround-sound, and a dome of 56 ft in diameter.

Diplodocus Longus skeletal mount Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Significant Initiatives And Legislation Enacted In Colorado

In 1881 Colorado voters approved a referendum that selected as the .

Colorado was the first state in the union to enact, by voter referendum, to women. That initiative was approved by the states voters on November 7, 1893.

On the November 8, 1932, ballot, Colorado approved the more than a year before the was ratified.

Colorado has banned, via C.R.S. section 12-6-302, the sale of motor vehicles on Sunday since at least 1953.

In 1972 Colorado voters rejected a to fund the , which had been scheduled to be held in the state. Denver had been chosen by the as host city on May 12, 1970.

In 1992, by a margin of 53 to 47 percent, Colorado voters approved an amendment to the state constitution that would have prevented any city, town, or county in the state from taking any legislative, executive, or judicial action to recognize homosexuals or bisexuals as a . In 1996, in a 63 ruling in , the U.S. Supreme Court found that preventing protected status based upon homosexuality or did not satisfy the .

In 2006 voters passed Amendment 43, which purported to ban gay marriage in Colorado. That initiative was nullified by the s 2015 decision in .

In 2012, voters amended the state constitution protecting personal use of marijuana for adults, establishing a framework to regulate in a manner similar to . The first recreational marijuana shops in Colorado, and by extension the United States, opened their doors on January 1, 2014.

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Twin Towns Sister Cities

Denvers relationship with , began in 1948, making it the second-oldest in the United States. In 1947, Amanda Knecht, a teacher at East High School, visited World War II-ravaged Brest. When she returned, she shared her experiences in the city with her students, and her class raised $32,000 to help rebuild the childrens wing of Brests hospital. The gift led to the development of the sister city program with Brest. There were serious efforts in the early 2000s, in both Denver and , , to establish sister-city ties, but the negotiations did not come to fruition.

Since then, Denver has established relationships with additional sister cities:

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A Visit To Denver Museum Of Nature & Science

There is certainly plenty of fun to be had in the city of Denver, Colorado. When my family and I were there last weekend, we decided to swing by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. And boy, are we glad we did! It had been a few years since our last visit. As it turns out, this place is even more fabulous than we remembered.

With three stories of interesting and varied exhibits to choose from, theres truly something to pique everyones interest here.

Our kids ages 6 and 12 have been bubbling with enthusiastic chatter ever since, telling friends and grandparents about all the things they saw and learned.

Plus, it was air conditioned. On a 100 degree Colorado summer day. It was the perfect place to be for a day of family fun.

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Morgridge Family Exploration Center And Avenir Collections Facility

In 2014, a $70 million addition was added to the museum containing the Morgridge Family Exploration Center and the Avenir Collections Center.

The Morgridge Family Exploration Center constitutes three above-ground levels that encourage visitors to learn about science and the natural world. The center includes Exploration Studios, a new temporary exhibition gallery, an atrium space, a completely-redeveloped Discovery Zone for early learners, and the outdoor, Boettcher Plaza with unique public art.

The Avenir Collections Center, part of a $70 million expansion in 2007, is a climate-controlled facility devoted to housing for nearly 1.5 million artifacts and specimens. The facility includes 63,000 square feet in two underground levels, and holds specimens such as bison from the 1870s, passenger pigeons, the last grizzly bear to be killed in Colorado in 1979, and roadkill brought in by the public. The data from these specimens is placed in online databases, and linked to public databases, like BioPortal.

What Else Is There

So much more. We didnt get to explore half of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. I personally wanted to explore the minerals and gems exhibit as well as the robots, but time didnt allow. Next time.

There are so many types of exhibits at any given time. While we were there we couldve learned about chocolate or robots , but those are on rotation. Permanently, and what were looking forward to next time, there is a huge wildlife exhibit, featuring many taxidermied species in their environments, including more skeletons.

Our kids are a bit young for them still, but there are also IMAX movies to chill with. I love IMAX films and look forward to the kids being old enough to not freak out at them. Soon

Tip: if youre easy to be car-sick or get tripped out by strobe lights and the like, check with any IMAX theater for a personal recommendation before buying tickets to a show. IMAX films impact people differently. Just sayin

We were glad the Denver Museum of Nature and Science welcomed us and we cant wait to return. Next time itll be even better as the kids will be older and ready to learn and explore even more.

To check out where we stayed, see our article on the Inverness Hotel. Its about 20 minutes from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and was perfect for family travel.

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