ArtScience Museum - Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction

Media Invite

Dino fan or not, I think this is an exhibition that you should not miss. For a few obvious reasons, this exhibition is by far the largest organized by ArtScience Museum, spanning through the  entire basement area of 3700 sq metres, with more than 400 fossils and models and 50 original artworks. And also a Dinosaurs’ exhibition is probably one of the few that will bring you 600 million years back in time.

Personally, I like the idea of the using mobile app to help visitors be more interactive during the entire walk through the exhibition. So if you are planning a visit, do make sure your phone is fully charged and download the free app first. Available both on Apple App Store and Google Play.

   

Don’t be too eager to rush through the exhibition and missed out of some of the tiny details planted all over the Museum, just like this little artwork just outside level 1 lift lobby.

Jayne definitely knows what she is getting into. An afford to try to scare me. Nice try.

Like I said, the Dinosaurs walk is through something that is dated some 600 million years ago, I will not try to explain it in words here, I think the best for anyone to experience it will be to go through it yourself. But I will try my best to walk you through what to expect with the photos.

The first exhibit in the hall shows us the Herrerasaurus – one of the earliest dinosaurs.

All throughout the exhibition, you will be guided by this colour-code, showing the key players along the walk and not forgetting the mobile app indicator boards, just turn on the app and point it at the logo on the right and unlock different time machine with interesting facts and interactive games.

 

Some of the fossils are replica but some are real. Just like this one, named Adeopapposaurus. Location – North-western Argentina, San Juan Province, Monga. Age – Early Jurassic, 190 mya.

Like most exhibitions, the museum does not encourage touching the exhibits but only areas that were specially designed for adults and kids to scratch that itch, for the tactile learners.

 

  

For the auditory learners.

  

The 650 million years of story in a simpler timeline.

One of the highlights in the museum is this battle scene between the Lessemsaurus (the larger one) and the Fasolasuchus (the crocodile-like one).

Photo trip around the exhibition. You’ll get the idea why I feel it’s worth it to visit the museum. More than what was mentioned in this post, both adults and children have many other activities to participate in and learn about the fascinating history of Dinosaurs.

  

 

 

 

Walking Dinosaur

We ended the trip with an activity for the girls – A day in the life of a Paleontologist. A hands-on demonstration on how paleontologists collect, record and identify fossils.

Naturally both Joey and Jayne were super excited and grabbed the front row seats in no time.

Led by one of the staff and instructions from Dr. Patricia (a real life Paleontologist), the kids were given step-by-step explanations on what to do and expect. Very educational but for the parents, we may find it a bit long to just sit around and watch. Maybe some parent-child interaction would be good.

Joey was elated to be selected right at the end of the session to be the last volunteer to be the one preparing the plaster cast for a dinosaur’s footprint.

 

And me? I managed to unlock most of the segment on the mobile app. Achievement unlock!

Useful Information
Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction
Venue: ArtScience Museum
Date: 25 Jan - 27 Jul 2014
Time: 10am - 7pm
STANDARD: Adult S$24; Senior Citizen (65 years & above) S$19; Child (2-12 years) S$12
SINGAPORE RESIDENTS: Adult S$18; Senior Citizen (65 years & above) S$16; Child (2-12 years) S$11
Website: http://www.marinabaysands.com/museum.html

Activities for Children
Shadow Puppets Alive!
Daily, 10am-6.30pm - except when programmes are conducted in the Creatosaurus Space
Creatosaurus Space in Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction
Complimentary and open to Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction ticket holders.
This fascinating, hands-on demonstration reveals how paleontologists collect, record and identify fossils. There will be plenty of opportunities for audience participation, including handling tools and specimens, washing off the clay of collected fossils, identifying the bones, and making a plaster cast from a dinosaur's footprint.

Stop Motion Dinosaur Wipe-out
Saturdays | 12.30pm-1.45pm
Creatosaurus Space in Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction
Complimentary and open to Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction ticket holders. Up to 30 participants. Register at workshop venue 15 minutes before start of session.
Choose your favourite extinction theory and create your own stop motion animation showing the end of the world for the dinosaurs. Recommended for children aged 6 and over.

Dinosaur Tale
Sundays, 16 Feb, 2,16 & 30 Mar | 2.30pm, 3pm & 3.30pm (15 mins performances)
Creatosaurus Space in Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction
Complimentary and open to Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction ticket holders.
Let magical puppetry and storytelling take you on a whirlwind journey of how animal life adapted over 600 million years, from sightless sea creatures and fearsome dinosaurs to humans today.

Sketch-a-fossil
Sundays, 2, 9 & 23 Feb, 9 & 23 Mar | 12.30pm & 1.15pm (45 mins workshops)
Creatosaurus Space in Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction
Complimentary and open to Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction ticket holders. Up to 20 participants. Register at workshop venue 15 minutes before start of session.
Bring fossils to life by drawing them in detail, with artist Isabelle Desjeux. Then make your piece stand out by placing it in a pre-historic landscape, in an optional collage activity. Children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult.

Sculpture Fun
Sundays, 2, 9 & 23 Feb, 9 & 23 Mar | 2.30pm & 3.15pm (45 mins workshops)
Creatosaurus Space in Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction
Complimentary and open to Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction ticket holders. Up to 20 participants. Register at workshop venue 15 minutes before start of session.
What better way to understand a fossil than to feel it in 3D? Carve your own sculpted shell or bone out of soap to take home. Children under the age of 8 require adult supervision.