Image of the fossil display at the Medicine Hat Public Library.--Submitted photo
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
The Medicine Hat Public Library’s newest pop-up exhibit is a blast from the far flung past in honour of the Royal Tyrrell Museum’s 40th Anniversary.
This is one of many pop-up exhibits being placed in public libraries throughout Alberta, says MHIP, starting this September. Here in Medicine Hat, MHPL is pleased to unveil its own highlight fossil, the hadrosaur Lambeosaurus.
Lambeosaurus was named after the Canadian palaeontologist Lawrence Lambe, who was one of the first scientists to study Alberta’s dinosaurs and is known for the axe-shaped crest on top of its head. Scientists suspect this crest was used in attracting mates.
The fossil comes from a cast of one of these “cows of the Cretaceous,” which was found in the Manyberries area in the 1930s. The skull is tentatively placed between 74.4 and 76.5 million years old.
“We are excited the Royal Tyrrell Museum is sharing a very cool piece of Alberta history with us on the occasion of its 40th anniversary,” said chief librarian Ken Feser. “I think our visitors are going to be impressed by this cast of a duck-billed dinosaur skull that was found right here in our area. Parents, you definitely want to bring your kids down to the library to see this.”
A display next to the information desk on the upper level will also include a hadrosaur skin impression that people can touch. Both the display and the cast will be at the library for the next year.
“Children’s library staff are preparing for our traditional Dinovember to be more intense than usual, and will have numerous activity sheets to hand out. As well, the library will feature the display during school visits and other educational experiences,” says MHPL.
