The next leg in
our Historic Alberta Venture was north-east of Calgary into the Alberta Badlands.
We took the same
old route from Lethbridge, past our favourite RV Park – Aspen Crossing - through Vulcan to the
Trans
Canada Highway. Then we went over to Highway #9 and off north towards
Drumheller – destination – the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology. Little
did we know about all the interesting places we would find along the way.
Horseshoe Canyon
Our first stop was
Horseshoe Canyon – just before Drumheller – so unexpected.
Driving through the rocky, barren Badlands
is something like driving through a lunar moonscape. And then out of
nowhere the ground opens up to reveal layer upon layer of the ancient history of
millions of years of climate and environmental change.
this magnificent
Horseshoe shaped Canyon is spectacular and offers paths to hike down and
explore the valley or take a helicopter ride along the 5 kms of the trench carved
by powerful glaciers.
Royal Tyrrell Museum
As you approach the Museum, the contrast between the building
and its contents is striking. Even though the outside has statues of
prehistoric animals, the building is streamline and modern while inside
visitors walk into worlds that carry you through millions of years of
development and dinosaurs.
A Map comes along
with your admission ticket. There are 10 different areas on two levels with
more than 110,000 specimens, including 35 full scale dinosaur skeletons. The
exhibits and galleries take you through earth’s history.
Wandering through
the inside of the museum is as complex and complicated as the Paleontological*
eras it represents.
*(the study
of fossils to determine the structure and
evolution of extinct animals and plants
and the age
and conditions of deposition of the rock
strata in which they
are found - http://www.thefreedictionary.com/palaeontology
The museum was
opened as a research and scientific facility dedicated to the study of
palaeontology soon added a large public gallery and display area. The official
opening announcement was made in and was given "Royal" status in
1990.
Large windows allow for viewing into the preparation labs where you can watch
scientists as skilfully and painstakingly scratch, blow and vacuum dirt from
fossils.
They recommend 2-3
hours to go through the museum: not nearly enough but there is only so much you
can take at one time.
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