The scary things is - Sean knew exactly what this was..
I liked the open sign (made of bones).
That looks like a few chicken bones I've left behind - only bigger!
So, after seeing a few bones outside, Sean rushed in side where he was practically vibrating. (You did know he loves dinosaurs, right?) This nice young man from behind the counter asked him how much he knows about dinosaurs, and Sean launches into his 'lecture' mode with a ton of info, totally clueless that he's talking to a paleontology student from the local college. Frankie was so impressed, he asked permission from the head paleontologist/instructor in the lab there if he could give us a 'behind-the-scenes' tour. This first bone Frankie is showing us (a femur - and yes, he asked Sean if he knew what that was, and Sean showed him on his own leg) took him about 60 hours of labor to remove from its surrounding rock.
Not an actual fossil, but a replica cast from one - used by the students for study.
This is an actual fossil - the jaw bone of the dinosaur Frankie likes the most.
The head paleontologist/instructor kept a close eye on us (of course, we were in his lab/classroom!), but was also so impressed with the kids that near the end of Frankie's tour he came over and gave the kids each a small fossil from their lab - so very cool!
Anyway, after the 'behind-the-scenes' tour, we also went through the museum. It was really neat. They used a combination of actual fossils (behind glass or roped off), with resin replicas or bronze castings that were labeled for touching. I think the kids got a whole lot out of being able to actually touch many of the exhibits.
Sean was impressed that New Mexico has a state dinosaur - and it was one he knows!
Not actually a dinosaur, but an early amphibian...
The kids had fun lighting these up.
Some actual fossils...
...and some replicas for touching.
There were a few dioramas with explanations of how the various early life forms interacted.
Another actual fossil...
..and a casting of it's leg.
Here's a casting of the track one made in mud - they were heavy buggers!
There was also a little play area - really designed for smaller kids, but the kiddos still had fun with it!
This was my favorite fossil.
Kayl was a bit nervous of the bigger exhibits at first, but once she learned they were just metal casts, she got better.
Hey, isn't that one a plant eater...?!?
Of course, Sean prefers the meat eaters...
On the left if a cast of the only Tyrannosaur foot print ever found - and it was in New Mexico!
This was one of the best dinosaur museums we've been to.
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