Texas Science & Natural History Museum
Epic Encounters: Bridging Texas' Prehistoric Past to the Present
Millions of years ago, dinosaurs, amphibians, mammals and marine creatures thrived in the vast Texas landscape. Now, you can peer into ancient forests, plains, swamps and oceans at interactive displays in an Austin museum.
Through fossils left behind, paleontologists pieced together glimpses of prehistoric life and documented changes over time. Their work is showcased in the new “Epic Encounters” exhibit at Texas Science & Natural History Museum at The University of Texas at Austin. Among fossils visitors see face-to-face is the massive Onion Creek Mosasaur, a marine predator, which was found in the Austin area.
“What visitors see at the museum are some of the most outstanding fossils — remarkable for their completeness and for the insight they provide into ancient life in Texas,” said Dr. Pamela R. Owen, associate director of the museum.
What makes “Epic Encounters” special is that 93% of the fossils are original, not replicas. Many were collected during the Statewide Paleontologic and Mineralogic Survey of 1939-1941. In addition to the Onion Creek Mosausaur, jaw-dropping highlights also include the Shoal Creek Plesiosaur, a marine reptile; one adult and two kittens of the scimitar-toothed cat Homotherium, found in Friesenhahn Cave near San Antonio; and Agujaceratops, represented by one of the most complete dinosaur skulls found in Texas.
Beyond simply viewing the fossils, the museum enhanced the visitor experience. Some of the long-beloved specimens are displayed alongside entertaining new additions.
Visitors will be delighted by custom-designed, highly detailed digital animations that highlight Texas animals and their ancient environments. Accurate reconstructions of eight creatures appear on wall-mounted monitors. As they seemingly come to life, viewers see how the extinct animals once looked and behaved.
While exploring, museum guests can pretend to time-travel to the Cretaceous Period via the interactive choose-your-own-adventure game Texas, Long Long Ago. Players select an animal, then make survival decisions — finding food, choosing a mate and defending their territory — as they go about their day in a natural habitat.
“The game enables visitors to really dig into the mindset of these animals, rather than just seeing them in a documentary on television,” said Dr. Liam Norris, the museum’s exhibition and outreach associate.
Throughout “Epic Encounters,” interpretive panels and redesigned exhibit cases contribute to the immersive atmosphere, enlightening guests about Texas’ past. The new exhibit was designed in collaboration with Austin-based MuseWork LLC.
Plan your visit to “Epic Encounters.”
Article and images courtesy of Texas Science & Natural History Museum.