Museum of the Earth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Museum of the Earth is a public natural history exhibit facility for one of the nation's largest and finest fossil collections. It is located in Ithaca, New York, on the campus of the PRI, its parent organization. The Museum is a major tourist attraction and source of economic development in Tompkins County and New York's southern tier, an educational facility that stresses the interdependence of the Earth and its life, fostering greater public understanding of the environment, its history, and its future, and an important resource for teachers and students across central New York State for improving science teaching and learning.
Contents |
[edit] Paleontological Research Institution
PRI was founded in 1932 by Gilbert Harris, a professor of geology at Cornell University from 1894 to 1934. He founded PRI to house his collection of fossils and to publish research in paleontology - the study of the history of life on Earth. PRI began as a small building behind Dr. Harris' home in Ithaca, New York. Through various additions over the next two decades, the original building grew into a 20-room complex that housed the Institution's collections, library, laboratories, and offices.
PRI has continued to grow through the years, requiring a move to larger quarters in 1968. The present facility on West Hill, along Trumansburg Road (N.Y. Rte. 96), holds over 2 million fossils and shells, and a 50,000 volume research library. In 2003, PRI opened the 18,000 square foot Museum of the Earth, a natural history museum that showcases PRI's specimens and takes the visitor on a journey through time.
[edit] Exhibits
The Museum of the Earth showcases a wide selection of fossils from the collection of the Paleontological Research Institution, which contains over 2 million specimens; from the tiniest of microfossils to the giants of the Ice Age, you can see it in the Museum. These relics of the past illuminate the ever-changing history of life on Earth. Ninety nine percent of Earth’s history passed before anything resembling a human was there to witness it. The Museum’s interactive, creative exhibits present ancient tales and offer clues to what the Earth’s future might hold.
[edit] Permanent
[edit] North Atlantic Right Whale #2030
In the spring of 2004, thanks to a generous grant from the Nelson B. Delavan Foundation, a permanent exhibit on North Atlantic Right Whale #2030 opened in the Museum lobby. The tragic story of this whale tells of man’s turbulent relationship with nature and presents us with a close look at a magnificent and vanishing species. The exhibit includes a short film by David Brown featuring footage of the unsuccessful attempts to rescue #2030 from the fishing gear that ultimately ended her life. Learn how PRI and the Museum of the Earth embarked on a quest to memorialize her story.
PRI’s North Atlantic Right Whale was mounted on a steel armature in a greenhouse on-site. The Museum building was left open on the northeast end so that the whale could be brought through for installation. In November 2002 a crane gently carried the pieces into the building and lifted them to the ceiling, where they were attached to a beam built into the roof specifically for the purpose of holding 8 tons of whale bones.
[edit] Rock of Ages Sands of Time
Created by Ithaca artist Barbara Page, this 544-panel mural, each panel of which represents 1 million years, offers an exquisite perspective on the emergence of life on earth. The panels represent an unbroken sequence of twelve geological periods that span an eon.
Travel backwards in time as you follow the mural to the beginning - and see for yourself the transformation of life on our planet.
If you would like to help support PRI and the Museum of the Earth, you can Adopt a Tile.
[edit] A Journey Through Time
Our large-scale permanent exhibition, A Journey through Time, leads you through the eons from the Big Bang to the present day. You’ll begin at the origin of our planet, explore almost five billion years of history, and challenge your perceptions about the present, future, and human effects and dependence on Earth. Observe, explore, and do a little fossil hunting of your own as you investigate…
- The Cambrian, Ordovician, and Silurian Periods
Watch the formation of the solar system and planet Earth. Find 'creepy crawlies' from ancient times and learn how the Cambrian Explosion set the stage for the next quarter of a billion years of life in the seas. Discover what makes a fossil a fossil.
- Fossil Preparation Lab
Fossils synthesize biology and geology, Earth and life and past and present. At Prep Lab, interact with Museum staff as they prepare specimens for exhibition and research.
- Beneath an Ancient Sea
380 million years ago, warm, shallow seas covered central New York. Mud and sand at the bottom of this sea formed the rocks of central and western New York’s gorges and waterfalls, which brim with some of the most beautiful fossils of this time. A model of the 30 foot carnivorous Dunkleosteus welcomes you to the Devonian "Age of Fishes". Explore the process of plate tectonics that built the Appalachian Mountains and the rapid biological evolution that was taking place at this time. Discover, examine, and magnify specimens at Fossil Lab, then take home your very own piece of earth’s history.
- Carboniferous, Permian, and Triassic Periods
The coal forests of Pennsylvania gave way with the end of the Paleozoic Era about 250 million years ago, when life experienced the greatest crisis ever—a mass extinction that wiped out ninety percent of all species. The recovery was slow at the beginning of the Mesozoic Era, but the Triassic Period saw life rebound with two groups of animals with big futures—dinosaurs and mammals.
- Where Dinosaurs Walked
Coelophysis, New York State’s only known dinosaurs (and the Museum’s logo!) roamed the northeastern United States 220 million years ago. These small dinosaurs left their footprints along the lakes that once filled the Connecticut and Hudson River Valleys. Learn how ideas and depictions of dinosaurs changed with scientific discoveries—and try your hand at dinosaur art in Dino Lab. How does an animal adapt to its environment? Find out with games and examples of the process known as natural selection.
Celebrate the dominance of dinosaurs—and learn the tale of their demise through specimens, film, and images. Witness the origin of birds and flowers and the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs and more of everything else on Earth. Mammal dominance expanded rapidly after this catastrophe as the changing land and sea climates led us into an Ice Age.
- A World Carved by Ice
For most of the last several hundred thousand years New York State and the entire Northeastern United States was covered by a thousand feet of glacial ice. You can explore how changes in climate affect life, and how glaciers formed the landscape of the Finger Lakes.
- Biodiversity and Extinction
How do species react in the face of environmental threats? See the effects of both human and natural factors on animals extinct and presently endangered. This exhibits prompts reflection on how humans fit into the complex network of life on Earth and how the history of the Earth is an inextricable part of our daily lives.
- The Gorge Garden
Step out into a garden that evokes the northeastern United States during the Ice Age. Tundra vegetation, polished gravel, and large boulders—glacial erratics—inhabit a sculpted contemplative space. A generous grant from the Ithaca Garden Club makes this recreation of a gorge ecosystem possible.
[edit] Hyde Park Mastodon
Do you have one in your backyard? Uncover the story of this accidental find and what it took to bring this 13,000-year-old skeleton out of the past and into the Museum.
In late 2002/early 2003 the skeleton of the Hyde Park Mastodon was cast with state-of-the-art techniques by Jim Sherpa, working in the lab of mastodon paleontologist Dan Fisher at the University of Michigan. The bones were shipped in February 2003 to Prehistoric Animal Structures (PAST) of Calgary, Canada, where they built a non-invasive armature to mount the skeleton without damaging the bones. The armature and mastodon were then shipped to the Museum in summer 2003 for mounting.
[edit] Temporary
November 4-December 17, 2006: The Place Where Life Begins: Endangered Landscapes of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, photographs by Rolfe and Robin Radcliffe.
December 23, 2006-April 1, 2007: sLowlife, a collaborative exhibit presented by the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research. sLowlife is a multi-media exhibit providing a window into the world of plants.
April 14-October 14, 2007: Face to Face with Homo erectus: The First World Traveler: An in-house exhibit featuring the work of Museum of the Earth artist-in-residence, paleoartist John Gurche. The exhibit focuses on the evolution of Homo erectus, our first "globe-trotting" ancestor.
[edit] Programs
[edit] School and Community Group Field Trips
Public and private schools, clubs, and other organizations are encouraged to contact the Museum of the Earth’s education office. We will work with you to schedule and plan your ideal field trip or workshop, answer any questions, and give you the Museum’s current fee list and field trip policies. To find out more about the Museum’s educational programs and workshops or to schedule a field trip contact Samantha Sands.
[edit] Public Programs
Natural History at Noon On two Saturdays of every month, the Museum invites noted speakers to give short talks about their areas of expertise. The topics are varied and include lectures ranging from the history of the universe to fossils found in the rocks of New York State, to the relationships between art and natural history. Talks are held in the Ray Van Houtte Museum classroom. These informative lectures are open to everyone and are free with admission to the Museum!
Guided Museum Tours: A Journey Through Time How has life changed over time? A museum tour will lead you on a voyage through time, highlighting key concepts in the Museum and some of the most spectacular specimens on exhibit. Tours begin in the Museum lobby Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 11:30 am and Saturdays at 11am.
Summer Fossil Collecting Field Trips & James Potorti Interpretive Gorge Walks During the warm-weather months, we offer a number of field trips to fossil-rich localities around central New York. These field trips are a great way to see the world through the eyes of a geologist, and offer a chance to take home fossil specimens that may be around 380 million years old!
The James Potorti Interpretive Walk series, offered four Fridays in the Summer, explores the spectacular geology of the local New York State Park gorges.
[edit] Architecture
Based on the internationally known natural history collections of PRI, the Museum of the Earth tells the story of the 4.6 billion year history of the Earth, focusing particularly on the Northeastern United States.
The Museum occupies an 18,000 square foot addition to the present PRI complex on Ithaca's West Hill. The new building was designed by the New York architectural firm of Weiss/Manfredi, recently best known for designing the award-winning Women's War Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. The design for the Museum has attracted much critical notice.
[edit] Visit
[edit] Hours
Winter Hours: (Labor Day through Memorial Day; September-May) Monday: 10-5 Tuesday: CLOSED Wednesday: 10-5 Thursday: 10-5 Friday: 10-5 Saturday: 10-5 Sunday: NEW EXTENDED HOURS 11-5!!
Summer Hours: (Memorial Day through Labor Day; end May-September) Monday through Saturday: 10-5 Sunday: 11-5
Holiday Hours Easter Weekend: OPEN normal hours Thanksgiving: CLOSED Christmas Eve: OPEN 10am-2pm Christmas Day: CLOSED New Year's Eve: OPEN 10am-2pm New Year's Day: CLOSED
[edit] Rates
Adults: $8 Seniors/Students with ID: $5 Youth (4-17): $3 Children (3 and under): free Members: free
[edit] Directions
The Museum of the Earth is located at 1259 Trumansburg Rd / Rt. 96 Ithaca, NY 14850.
From Rochester (North West): Take I-490 East to I-90 East / New York State Throughway Take the Route 14 exit (Exit 42) toward GENEVA/ LYONS. Turn RIGHT onto Route 14 South. Merge onto Route 96A South. Follow Route 96A to Route 96 South for about 40 miles (~45 minutes). The Museum of the Earth is located on your LEFT, immediately after Cayuga Medical Center. Approximate driving time: 2 hours.
From Syracuse (North East): Take I-81 South to Exit 12 HOMER/ CORTLAND. Keep LEFT at the fork in the ramp. Turn LEFT onto Route 281/ WEST HOMER RD. Continue to follow Route 281. Route 281 becomes Route 13. Turn RIGHT onto Route 13/ WEST MAIN ST. Continue to follow Route 13 South. Turn RIGHT onto ROUTE 96/ WEST BUFFALO ST. Stay in the LEFT lane, following signs for ROUTE 96 and the HOSPITAL. From Route 13, the Museum of the Earth is located 2.3 miles on your RIGHT, immediately south of Cayuga Medical Center. Approximate driving time: 1 hour.
From Corning/Elmira (South West): Take Route 17 / SOUTHERN TIER EXPRESSWAY to Route 13 (Exit 54) toward ITHACA. Follow Route 13 into Ithaca. Turn LEFT onto ROUTE 96/ WEST BUFFALO ST. Stay in the LEFT lane, following signs for ROUTE 96 and the HOSPITAL. From Route 13, the Museum of the Earth is located 2.3 miles on your RIGHT, immediately before Cayuga Medical Center. Approximate driving time: 1 hour, 15 minutes.
From Binghamton (South East): Take Route 17 to I-81 North. Take Exit 8 / ITHACA. At the end of the exit ramp, turn RIGHT onto Route 26 following signs for Route 11/ Route 206/ WHITNEY POINT. At the T intersection, turn LEFT following signs for Route 79 WEST. Continue to follow Route 79 WEST into ITHACA for about 30 miles Continue to downtown Ithaca, bearing RIGHT onto EAST SENECA ROAD. Continue on East Seneca, following signs to ROUTE 13. Turn RIGHT onto ROUTE 13 NORTH, merging into the LEFT lane. Turn LEFT on ROUTE 96/ WEST BUFFALO ST. Stay in the LEFT lane, following signs for ROUTE 96 and the HOSPITAL. From Route 13, the Museum of the Earth is located 2.3 miles on your RIGHT, immediately before Cayuga Medical Center. Approximate driving time: 1 hour, 20 minutes.
