Morrison Natural History Museum facts for kids
 |
|
| Established | 1989 |
|---|---|
| Location | 501 Colorado Highway 8, Morrison, Colorado |
| Visitors | 11,000 |
The Morrison Natural History Museum is a cool place in Morrison, Colorado, where you can explore the past! It's a natural history museum filled with amazing dinosaur fossils found right in the area. The museum has lots of fun, hands-on exhibits that everyone, from kids to grown-ups, can enjoy and learn from.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: Museum History
The Morrison Natural History Museum first opened its doors in 1989. Since 1995, the town of Morrison has helped run the museum. It gets money from tickets people buy, things sold in the gift shop, and gifts from people who want to support it. This helps keep the museum open for everyone to visit!
Exploring the Exhibits: What You'll See
The museum has two main levels, each showing different parts of Earth's ancient history.
Dinosaur Discoveries: Lower Level
On the lower floor, you'll find exhibits all about local paleontology. This is the study of ancient life, like dinosaurs! Here, you can see incredible Jurassic fossils. These fossils are from a time when giant dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
Later Life Forms: Upper Level
Head upstairs to discover fossils from the Cretaceous and Cenozoic periods. The Cretaceous period was the very last time dinosaurs lived. The Cenozoic period came after the dinosaurs, when mammals started to become more common.
Outdoor Adventures: Dig Pit and Garden
Outside the museum, there's even more to explore! You can visit a rock garden and a special fossil dig pit. It's a fun way to imagine what it's like to be a real paleontologist!
Amazing Fossils and Live Animals
The museum has many exciting things on display. You can see huge skulls from famous dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops. There's also a skull from Tylosaurus, a giant sea reptile. You can even see parts of skeletons from Stegosaurus and Pteranodon. Don't miss the tiny tracks left by baby dinosaurs! The museum also has live reptiles and amphibians for you to observe.
The Paleontology Lab: Science in Action
The museum isn't just for looking at old bones. It also has a real paleontology lab! Here, scientists and experts carefully clean and prepare fossils. This work helps get the fossils ready for exhibits and for important scientific research.
