Way Old, Way Cool

Fifty million years before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, smaller, mammal-like reptiles had the run of the place. Rare examples of these ancient creatures reside at Moscow’s Paleontological Institute and Museum, collected over the past 200 years from sites across Russia and Mongolia.

The fossils are considered too precious to tour the world, but exact reproductions will be on display when “The Great Russian Dinosaurs” exhibit opens Saturday at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

“This is different from your run-of-the-mill, strictly dinosaur exhibit, because it includes much more than dinosaurs,” says J.D. Stewart, the exhibit’s curator. “Because it goes back to the time before the dinosaurs, it will help children and adults understand what were the dominant animals in terrestrial and dry land environments then, and which relatives gave rise to mammals.”

Some of the prehistoric reptiles are up to 290 million years old. On display will be such oddities as the skeleton of a saber-toothed reptile that was the size of a large bear, skulls of a primitive herbivore that was about as big as a cat and a distant relative of the turtle.

If the idea of examining remnants of early dinosaurs and reptiles is too abstract for your 5-year-old, maybe you should just say you’re going on a trip to meet Tyrannosaurus rex’s cousin, tarbosaurus, or the velociraptor, which achieved modern fame in the film “Jurassic Park.” Both can be found among the 17 complete skeletons, 22 skulls and a variety of amber specimens in the exhibit, which has rarely been seen outside of its permanent home.

The nests of eggs from sauropods--the largest dinosaurs that ever lived--will “help people relate to these fossils as living animals,” Stewart says. “They can see that they actually did have nests, that some of them died on top of the nest, protecting the nest. That’s a strong signal of parental care.”

A working lab set up within the exhibit also will give visitors a chance to interact with a paleontologist who will prepare and study a duck-billed dinosaur skeleton from Montana that is a relative of the dinosaurs in the display.

Little ones who can take in only so much viewing of reptiles--that were early ancestors of mammals and have lengthy names such as “Estemmenosuchus mirabilis”--can get recharged through craft activities. Projects will range from creating dinosaur masks and fossil rubbings to digging for fossils. Special events also will be held throughout the exhibit.

“More family activities are planned because we know we will attract large crowds,” says Linda Abraham, chief of education at the museum. “Bringing ‘The Great Russian Dinosaurs’ to this venue is really important. There’s a great fascination children hold for dinosaurs, and this is a great way to capture them as an audience and teach science to them.”

The free family programming includes dinosaur storytelling on Sundays from Feb. 7 through April 25; a chance for children to make a “Recycle-o-saurus” out of recyclable materials the museum provides, at 10 a.m. Feb. 6; and a session called “Digging Up Dinos!” in which a paleontologist will show kids how to excavate and prepare fossils, at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 20.

The family field trips associated with the dinosaur exhibit include a half-day excursion on March 27 to Silverado Canyon in Orange County, which costs $40 for an adult/child pair, and a three-day fossil hunting expedition beginning April 16 to Red Rock Canyon, north of Mojave, which costs $120 per adult and $90 per child. The field trips are filling up so fast that the museum is considering adding dates, Abraham says.

The field trips “give families an opportunity to do science together,” Abraham says. “Parents often aren’t sure how to involve children in science activities. These trips give children the opportunity to engage in real field work. It’s a unique experience.”

BE THERE

“The Great Russian Dinosaurs” exhibit will be open Saturday through May 2 at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Blvd. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. $8 adults, $5.50 seniors and students, $2 children 5 to 12. Call (213) 763-3466. For information on special programs, call (213) 763-3534.