Leonardo and the Indianapolis Childrens Museum

[stoneage]

   I went to the Indianapolis Childrens Museum to see Leonardo up close and personal.  While there I got to talking to some of the Paleontologist and was happy to be invited into the back room where all the fossils and unused displays were.  I got to ask questions and discuss Dinosaurs and Horner.  Hopefully I will be able to show some pictures in the next few days and talk of my discussions with the Paleontologist there.   I was also asked if I wanted to volunteer there and possible go to their dig site in South Dakota.  They have a lot of material from the Hell Creek Formation.

[Sabrefox]

Cool story! I didn't know Indy had a big presence in the dino realm...
also been seeing lots of activity regarding the hell creek formation lately - I personally don't know enough about it to warrant commentary on the matter; but simply the activity being discussed makes me want to look into it further.

So you gonna go to SD? 

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Cool. It would a great experience to go.

[stoneage]

   As I understand it right now volunteers that work in the Paleo Lab, work on weekends.  At any rate I think this is something I'll have to consider, when I retire in about a year in a half.  I do think I could learn a lot and going to the Black Hills would be a once in a life time experience.  It's too early to make a decision, but I do intend to look  into it.

[stoneage]

When you go to the Childrens Museum the first thing you see are the Titanosaurs.

[stoneage]

As you walk into the museum you cross the skywalk.



Then we come to Seymour the Brachiosaurus and baby.  Giraffatitan to some.

[Libraraptor]

Stunning ideas! They make the sauropods a part of the  building and tell a little story, too.

[stoneage]

After entering the Childrens Museum we go to the Dinosphere.  You begin to get the Jurassic Park feel.







Then we descend down a ramp past the Pteranodons.

[stoneage]

As we continue downward and make a left turn.  Here we find Sarcosuchus imperator (Super Croc).

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I am watching this tour of yours closely and crossing my fingers for some pictures of the dinosaur egg exhibit and Baby Louie replica, or the Psttacosaurus they have there. While their psittacosaurus is a casting and not an actual dinosaur, I would love to get my hands on a few clear shots of its astralgus, and pubic bones and the humerus and scapula area of the arms.

[stoneage]

I am watching this tour of yours closely and crossing my fingers for some pictures of the dinosaur egg exhibit and Baby Louie replica, or the Psttacosaurus they have there. While their psittacosaurus is a casting and not an actual dinosaur, I would love to get my hands on a few clear shots of its astralgus, and pubic bones and the humerus and scapula area of the arms.

I'm sorry I missed Babie Louie, but I did get some pictures of dinosaur eggs.  Here we have some Theropod eggs.



Herbivore Eggs







I'll try to get pictures of Baby Louie next  time.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Awesome, it looks like alot of their eggs are real specimens as well and not just casts. I see alot of eggs there that are seldom offered or seen too. Nice shots and thanks for sharing them with us.

[stoneage]

Awesome, it looks like alot of their eggs are real specimens as well and not just casts. I see alot of eggs there that are seldom offered or seen too. Nice shots and thanks for sharing them with us.

The Psittacosaurus wan't on display.  But I was alowed to go back in the room behind the Paleo-Lab.  Up on a shelf was the Psittacosaurus.  I'm sorry but this is the only picture I took of it.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

That cast looks very small..can you offer any size perspective for the model? It i obviously sculpted but I am wondering how large it is in real life.

[Libraraptor]

Isn´t that a duckbill baby?

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Isn´t that a duckbill baby?

That sounds more likely to me too, the skull sure looks odd for a psittacosaur, no jugals and the teeth look wrong, but also the vert processes look far too pronounced for a psittacosaurus. I believe you are correct Libra.

[stoneage]

That cast looks very small..can you offer any size perspective for the model? It i obviously sculpted but I am wondering how large it is in real life.

Sorry, wrong picture.  Try this one.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Yep that looks more like a Psittacosaurus !! That is a really attractive piece, I wonder why they have it pulled back and not on display.They must be battling for space I am guessing....

[stoneage]

Now for Leonardo.  The Indianapolis Childrens Museum  has this exibit for 10 years.  Its the original, this isn't a cast.  Right in front of you under plexiglass.



Here are some pictures of the head

.



Here you can see the duckbill underneath the lower jaw.

[stoneage]

Leonardo Scales