There aren’t many workplaces where you can see a giant dinosaur outside your office window! As a Heritage Interpretation student at Grey Roots Museum and Archives, I am lucky enough to be able to experience the wonders of the Dinosaurs Unearthed exhibit all summer long. Even after two weeks I have not yet lost the enjoyment of walking through the gallery and seeing visitors who are amazed as the dinosaurs inside the exhibit come to life.
The Dinosaurs Unearthed exhibit is unlike anything I have ever seen. The best word I can think of to describe this exhibit is “magical”. The dinosaurs are animatronics which means that they are able to move and make noise. This brings the exhibit to a whole new level creating an all new and unique experience you wouldn’t expect to find in a small town museum.
In the span of the two weeks the exhibit has been open, I have had several great experiences. I think my favourite part has been the school programming. I am amazed to see how much the children already know about dinosaurs. No matter how old the children are, they are always excited to see the dinosaurs and participate in our programming. Just the other day, we had a group of kindergarten students and we concluded their program with them making dinosaur masks and having a “dinosaur parade” around the museum. Every program we do is slightly different depending on the age group, but each one is enjoyable.
This exhibit not only amazes me as a teenager, but younger children and adults too. There is something intriguing about the phenomenon of dinosaurs that lures us in no matter how old we are. Whether I am leading a school program or doing a sweep of the gallery, I take every opportunity I can to indulge in the magic of Dinosaurs Unearthed. I hope the public will take advantage of this special opportunity to see this one of a kind exhibit before it is gone.
Shannon Kelly, Heritage Interpretation Summer Student
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