During the age of the dinosaurs, some of the most impressive animals the planet has ever seen walked the earth. But the oceans were equally full of breathtaking creatures, and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s newest exhibit brings them to vibrant life with Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep.
“The exhibit starts in the Jurassic era and brings visitors to the present,” said DMNS educator Jenna Chervin. “It showcases the biggest, baddest things in the ocean at any given point and really lets people get to know them.”
Developed and produced by London’s Natural History Museum, Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep runs at DMNS, 2001 Colorado Blvd., through Sept. 7. A special ticket is required for the bilingual exhibition.
One of the important things for visitors to remember is that the animals on display aren’t dinosaurs — they’re marine reptiles, fish, invertebrates and eventually mammals that called prehistoric oceans home.
“We still have some of these creatures living today, though they look different,” Chervin said. “Animals like the horseshoe crab and sharks are just a few examples that we have on display that survived the test of time.”
Visitors can examine fossil specimens that paint a picture of evolution and adaptation, including Jurassic sharks and the dangerous mosasaurs of the Cretaceous. There are beautiful artistic recreations of many of the animals, so guests can get a real sense of how they lived and moved.
“The visual components are a wonderful use of technology to show what these animals were like when they were alive,” Chevrin said. “It also teaches about jobs like paleoartists, that people don’t often think about.”
DMNS works hard to ensure there are local touches on all touring exhibits and Jurassic Oceans features plenty of hands-on activities and touchable items, including a mosasaur jaw with teeth and a plesiosaur vertebra fossil. They can also meet some of the scientists behind critical discoveries, like Mary Anning, a paleontologist whose discoveries helped shape the modern understanding of prehistoric marine life.
The aim is that people come away from the exhibit with a new appreciation for the animals that lived in the ocean and how they changed over time.
“I’m really excited for people to learn about how diverse the oceans were and how life evolved,” Chevrin said. “This is a great summer exhibit for both kids and adults.”
For more information and tickets, visit www.dmns.org/exhibitions/temporary-exhibitions/jurassicoceans/.
Chanté Moore Brings Soulful Vocals to Lone Tree
As part of the Lone Tree Art Center’s, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree Sessions series, the center is hosting R&B vocalist Chanté Moore at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 10.
Gerald Albright, jazz and R&B legend, is the artistic director for the sessions, which highlights legendary and emerging talents in the genre. According to provided information, Moore has placed more than a dozen songs on Billboard’s R&B Chart, including “Love’s Taken Over” and “It’s Alright.” She’s also worked with The Isley Brothers.
Get tickets at www.lonetreeartscenter.org.
Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day at BCLP
Spring is a wonderful time of year for birders and all those who appreciate the beauty of nature in motion. To mark World Migratory Bird Day, Bear Creek Lake Park, 15600 W. Morrison Road in Lakewood, is hosting a pair of special events from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 10.
There will be a Birding at Bear Creek Lake Park event from 7:30 to 9 a.m. that will feature naturalists and a volunteer from Denver Audubon guiding a walk along the trail and looking for migratory birds. Then, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there’s the World Migratory Bird Day Festival, featuring crafts, live birds, vendors and more.
For more information, visit www.lakewood.org.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Beach House at Mission Ballroom
The duo of Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally have been making music under the name Beach House for about 20 years and their ensorcelling dream pop music continues to captivate listeners. Over the course of their career, they’ve perfected a heady take on indie rock that you can just wrap yourself up in and get lost in.
The band hasn’t released any new music in several years, but they’re still coming to the Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St. in Denver, at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14. They’ll be joined by singer/songwriter Cass McCombs for an evening of terrific music.
Information and tickets are available at www.axs.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.