Smithsonian Museum of Natural History: The Cenozoic Era in 3 Acts, ACT 2: Set In Stone

 Not a long act in this first play, but one I still find fascinating.  In my rock garden I have beautifully worn field stones from Kentucky that I gathered myself containing the segmented steams of some long extinct plant that thrives in oceans so long ago that life had yet to evolve its way onto the dry land.  Only a couple, but so cool.

A cousin of a present day Monitor Lizard

I find it really interesting that the assumption of the paleontologists is that the animal's body floated out onto a lake and sank...  It feels more like an animal caught in a flood and buried quickly, before it had the chance to decay.

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History: The Cenozoic Era in 3 Acts, ACT 1: 'Dem Bones

 There are three things that I love when I go to Natural History Museums to see Prehistoric artifacts.  #1 Bones!  The reassembling and therefore reanimating of long death fauna fascinates me to no end.  When you enter the Hall of Fossils from the Great rotunda, you will start your journey from the recent past and work your way backward toward the beginning of life.

The first grand discovery is a gloriously rebuilt Mammoth.

Nearby a menacing Saber-toothed Cat

And Ancient Deer

Mid-sized Equine Ancestor

One of the first Equine Ancestors the size of a Doberman.

Prehistoric Rhinoceros and Hippopotamus

Dire Wolves persue an ancient Antelope, distant cousin to today's Pronghorns.  This exhibit was literally tucked behind one featuring a Giant Ground Sloth which really blocked full access to it--so poorly thought-out in a space that seemed otherwise brilliantly designed.

Ancient Seal and Penguine relatives that dwarf their contemporary progeny.  

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History: Introduction

 

After an early morning, semi-annual bloodletting with my flabotomyst of the visit (It's always somebody new), I made an executive decision to toss all my plans for the day aside and visit stuff on The National Mall.  Afterall, it was a lovely, temperate Autumn day.  While on the cusp of the most important election of my lifetime, things weren't Nazi Germany crazy just yet.  So why not visit my favorite spots before all Hell might....that is MIGHT...break loose?

After riding the Green Line down from Hyattsville Station to Navy Memorial, and engaging in a 12 minute walk, I began my tour at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.

Unbeknownst to me there was also a special exhibition on the recovery of the American Bison from the brink of extinction.  Complete with two life-sized bronze statues brought out from the deep dark bowels of the Smithsonian Institutions insanely large collection of artifacts.

Here the mother and calf on the right side of the entrance.

Inside is the four story atrium with its iconic "world's" largest African Elephant taxidermy.

And to the right is the Fossil Hall where the history of LIFE on Planet earth unfolds.

Buckle up, Buttercup--some really cool stuff awaits us!