Arizona Museum of Natural History

[suspsy]

Just a few more photos to go. Here's a robotic pterosaur that visitors could manipulate on their own.

IMG_1075 by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

A rocking pterosaur. Brilliant! I want one!

IMG_1076 by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

These animatronic dinosaurs used to occupy the mountain display until they were replaced. Now they're being incorporated into a new display. Here's a Pentaceratops.

IMG_0967 by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

IMG_0968 by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

And this Stegosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex look to be Dinamation refugees, don't they? Nice to know that they didn't just get tossed in a rubbish heap.

IMG_0966 by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

IMG_0970 by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

IMG_0971 by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

The gift shop contained a fine selection of Safari Ltd product.

IMG_0892 by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

And here's a Spinosaurus plush based on the new reconstruction. Kind of wish I'd bought it when I had the chance!

IMG_1078 by Suspsy Three, on Flickr

And that, my friends, is the Arizona Museum of Natural History. Be sure to go there if you're ever in the Phoenix area!

[Viking Spawn]

What's that figure standing along the top row in the gift shop? 

[DinoLord]

That would be the Carnegie Collection Carnotaurus. One of their last great models IMO.

The museum's gift shop is one of the better ones I've been to. I got my WS Nasutoceratops and Sauropelta there.

[Viking Spawn]

Thank you DinoLord.  It looks pretty cool! 

[LophoLeeVT]

wow i wanna have one rocking pterodactyl,too!

[RaptorRex]

Bumping a rather old thread. I volunteer at this museum. Most of it hasn't changed since suspsy posted the photos, though there have been a few new additions.

While not exactly "new," the Diatryma cast has been moved to the front lobby, a much more fitting place.



On the bottom floor next to the Coelophysis, though, there is a Nasutoceratops skull cast.



The museum is also working on an Acrocanthosaurus model that will be placed on the walls outside the museum! So far the 1/4 scale model has been completed.



The dinosaur petting zoo, where the old Dinamation models rest, is also completed as well, but I don't have any photos of it. I'll try to snap some next time I'm on shift.

[suspsy]

That Acrocanthosaurus model looks great! Please do share more photos!

[suspsy]

Replaced these photos. Easily the best assortment of pterosaurs I've ever seen in any museum!

[Jose S.M.]

Well I have to thank the Great Photobucket Purge for lead me to this wonderfull thread, had Supsy not informed the photo's replacement, I don't know how or when would I've seen it. Great photos, I would love to see this in person.

[suspsy]

Glad you enjoyed the photos!

[ZoPteryx]

WOW!    What a great and diverse collection this museum has!  Putting it on my must-see list next time I'm in Phoenix!

Thanks for the tour, Suspy! 

[RaptorRex]

Update on the museum!

The life sized Acrocanthosaurus model has been finished and is now displayed prominently outside the museum.







A Coelophysis hangs out with the Dinamation animatronics (the T. rex skull has also been moved here).



Our on staff Paleoartist is currently in the process of constructing models of Arizonian Cretaceous dinosaurs from the Fort Crittenden Formation. These include "Troodon", an unnamed ceratopsian, and an unnamed tyrannosaur. I suspect these will be finished soon.

The pterosaur exhibit is currently being replaced by a different exhibit (frankly, I have no idea what it is being replaced by). However, the vast majority of the pterosaur material now has a home inside the dinosaur hall. The Quetzalcoatlus, in particular, is still a star attraction.

[ITdactyl]

Having no access to dinosaur museums, I really appreciate it when members share these virtual tours.
Thank you.

I like the quetz mount - but I'm suddenly hit by a thought: what a tiny body (we don't see that frequently depicted in toy form).  Why do we think these guys feasted on big things again?  Leads to a second thought... they should have a (big) crop like birds, right?  I mean, if you were to grow to that size and still have a tiny body with a (probably) simple digestive system, you're gonna need all the help you can get.  So... crops on pterosaur restorations?