Dinosaurs Inhabit Governor's Gallery at State Capitol

Tuesday, 23 May 2006 10:47

Santa Fe, New Mexico - Replicas of dinosaurs that once roamed New Mexican soil displayed at the Governor’s Gallery through September 1, 2006.  From collections at Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, New Mexico, The New Bronze Age features bronze replicas of fossils uncovered in Quay County and Eastern New Mexico.  In 1997, Mesalands Community College—in conjunction with its geology and paleontology programs—established a museum to display dinosaur fossils from the surrounding region.

The Tucumcari area offers one of the most complete fossil records of the Mesozoic era in the world, which includes the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods.  The Fine Arts/Bronze program at Mesalands casts many bronze replicas of the museum’s dinosaur bones for educational purposes and public enjoyment—an interdisciplinary collaboration unique to the state of New Mexico.

“After visiting the Mesalands Community College’s Dinosaur Museum, I was extremely impressed with the collaborations between the college art department and the museum,” curator Tim Rodgers said.  “The art department made bronze casts of dinosaur bones that are shown at the museum.  The quality of the work is extraordinary and the bronze work is appreciated for both its scientific and aesthetic value.”

For decades, dinosaur fossil hunters have been placing their New Mexico finds in museums around the world.  Now, thanks to Mesalands’ Museum, Northeastern New Mexico fossils can stay closer to home.

Among the many fossils that will be displayed in The New Bronze Age is a Tyrannosaurus rex skull, a fully articulated saber tooth tiger, and a Camarasaurus skull.  Visitors will also be able to actually touch several pieces, such as an impressive Triceratops skull that measures four by six feet.