PTEROSAURS: FLIGHT IN THE AGE OF DINOSAURS SOARS INTO THE SCIENCE CENTER OF IOWA
Interactive Exhibit Offers Visitors a Unique Look into the Fascinating World of Prehistoric Flying Reptiles
- Monday November 25, 2024
The Science Center of Iowa (SCI) is thrilled to announce the arrival of Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs, a groundbreaking exhibition that uncovers the incredible diversity and specialized adaptations of pterosaurs—prehistoric reptiles that once dominated the skies. The exhibition, organized by the American Museum of Natural History, opens Saturday, December 21 and is the largest of its kind in the U.S., showcasing how pterosaurs evolved to become the first vertebrates capable of powered flight, long before birds and bats.
From sparrow-sized flyers to giants with wingspans larger than many small aircraft, pterosaurs displayed an astonishing variety of shapes, sizes, and features. The exhibition highlights the evolution of pterosaurs with life-size models, rare fossil casts, videos, and immersive, hands-on activities. Guests will even get the chance to “fly” like a pterosaur through virtual prehistoric landscapes with interactive motion-sensing technology.
“Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs offers a rare and comprehensive look into the lives of these extraordinary creatures,” said Curt Simmons, President & CEO of the Science Center of Iowa. “We’re excited to bring this exhibit to Iowa, giving visitors of all ages the chance to explore the cutting-edge science behind recent fossil discoveries, examine life-size pterosaur replicas, and experience firsthand the mechanics of pterosaur flight in our interactive exhibits.”
The exhibition presents casts and replicas from some of the most significant pterosaur fossil discoveries from around the world, including a rare Romanian specimen that is potentially a new species larger and more robust than any previously found. Pterosaur fossils are rare, due to the delicate structure of their bones, but advances in technology have provided new ways to study these ancient creatures, uncovering details of their unique wing structure and other specialized features.
Guests will also be able to view a dramatic Cretaceous seascape, re-created from fossil evidence, with a depiction of Thalassodromeus pterosaurs diving for fish alongside other ancient marine life. Interactive elements such as iPad stations and a virtual wind tunnel further allow visitors to explore the aerodynamics and flight capabilities of various pterosaur species, from the insect-eating Jeholopterus to the filter-feeding Pterodaustro.
VISITING INFORMATION
Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs will be on display at the Science Center of Iowa from December 21, 2024 through April 27, 2025. The exhibit is included with SCI general admission ($17 for children and adults and free for children under 2).
SCI is currently open Thursdays through Sundays, and visitors are encouraged to purchase advance discounted tickets online at www.sciowa.org.
EXHIBITION ORGANIZATION
Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (amnh.org).
About the American Museum of Natural History (amnh.org)
The American Museum of Natural History, founded in 1869 with a dual mission of scientific research and science education, is one of the world’s preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions. The Museum encompasses more than 40 permanent exhibition halls, galleries for temporary exhibitions, the Rose Center for Earth and Space including the Hayden Planetarium, and the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation. The Museum’s scientists draw on a world-class permanent collection of more than 30 million specimens and artifacts, some of which are billions of years old, and on one of the largest natural history libraries in the world. Through its Richard Gilder Graduate School, the Museum offers two of the only free-standing, degree-granting programs of their kind at any museum in the U.S.: the Ph.D. program in Comparative Biology and the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Earth Science residency program. Visit amnh.org for more information.
About the Science Center of Iowa
The Science Center of Iowa engages and inspires Iowans along their journey of lifelong science learning. The 110,000-sq. ft. facility located in Downtown Des Moines features dynamic experience platforms, large format theaters and daily interactive science demonstrations, including the NAEYC-accredited SCI Preschool. The Science Center of Iowa also provides educational outreach programs across the state of Iowa. For more information, visit www.sciowa.org.