Museum Stories & Insights

The journey from fossil discovery to museum display is a fascinating process that combines science, artistry, and meticulous attention to detail. At the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, our paleontology team works tirelessly to bring prehistoric giants back to life in our renowned dinosaur exhibits.

The Excavation Process

It all begins in the field, where our paleontologists carefully excavate fossils from sites across the world. Each excavation is a delicate operation that can take weeks or even months to complete. The process starts with identifying potential fossil sites through geological surveys and prior research. Once a promising location is found, our team carefully removes the surrounding rock and soil, using specialized tools to prevent damage to the precious fossils beneath.

Our recent Alamosaurus excavation in New Mexico demonstrates the complexity of this process. The team spent three months carefully uncovering and documenting the position of each bone before applying plaster jackets to protect the specimens during transport back to our lab. These jackets, made from burlap soaked in plaster, create protective shells around the fossils, preventing damage during the journey from field to museum.

Laboratory Preparation

Back at the museum, our preparators begin the painstaking work of freeing the fossils from their surrounding matrix. This delicate process can take thousands of hours for a single specimen. Using tools ranging from dental picks to miniature pneumatic jackhammers, our technicians slowly remove the rock to reveal the fossil underneath.

For our T-Rex specimen, this preparation phase took over 18 months of continuous work. Each bone was carefully mapped, photographed, and cataloged. Some fossils required microscopic preparation under magnification to preserve the finest details, such as tooth serrations or surface textures that provide crucial information about the animal's biology.

Research and Reconstruction

Once cleaned, the fossils undergo thorough scientific analysis. Our researchers examine bone structure, growth patterns, and comparative anatomy to understand how these ancient creatures lived, moved, and interacted with their environment. CT scanning and 3D modeling help us visualize internal structures and reconstruct missing elements with scientific accuracy.

This research phase is critical for accurate reconstruction. For example, our study of the Alamosaurus vertebrae revealed previously unknown aspects of its spinal flexibility, changing how we understood its posture and movement capabilities. These scientific insights directly inform how we position the skeleton in our exhibits.

Creating the Exhibition

The final phase involves designing and building the exhibit itself. Our team of designers, artists, and engineers works collaboratively to create a scientifically accurate yet visually compelling display. Custom metal armatures are fabricated to support the fossils in anatomically correct positions while allowing for future research access.

For specimens too fragile or rare to display, we create precise replicas using 3D scanning and molding techniques. These replicas are so accurate that they preserve microscopic surface details of the original fossils. The surrounding environment is then carefully designed to reflect the ancient ecosystem in which these creatures lived, based on paleobotanical and geological evidence.

The Visitor Experience

The ultimate goal of our exhibits is to create meaningful connections between visitors and these ancient worlds. Interactive elements, compelling narratives, and cutting-edge visualization techniques help bring these prehistoric creatures to life in ways that inspire wonder and curiosity.

Our team continues to refine and update exhibits as new discoveries emerge, ensuring that the Perot Museum remains at the forefront of paleontological education and outreach. The process from discovery to display represents the seamless integration of scientific research and public education that lies at the heart of our museum's mission.

Next time you visit our dinosaur hall, we invite you to look beyond the impressive specimens to appreciate the countless hours of scientific work, technical skill, and creative vision that bring these ancient giants back to life before your eyes.

Our newest exhibit at the Perot Museum explores the fascinating world of color through an immersive, multidisciplinary approach that combines physics, biology, psychology, and art. "The Science of Color" invites visitors of all ages to discover how color shapes our world and influences our perceptions.

The Physics of Light

At its foundation, color is a phenomenon of light and how it interacts with the world around us. The exhibit begins with an exploration of the electromagnetic spectrum, demonstrating how visible light represents just a small portion of the radiation that surrounds us daily. Interactive displays allow visitors to experiment with prisms, diffraction gratings, and other optical tools to separate white light into its component wavelengths.

A highlight of this section is the "Wave Tunnel," a 30-foot corridor where visitors can manipulate different wavelengths of light using interactive controls. As they adjust the wavelengths, the entire tunnel transforms in color, providing an intuitive understanding of how different frequencies of light create different color perceptions.

How We Perceive Color

The exhibit then transitions to the biological mechanisms of color perception. Detailed models and digital animations explain how our eyes detect light through specialized photoreceptor cells in our retinas. Visitors can explore how these cells – rods and three types of cones – work together to send signals to our brain, which then interprets these signals as colors.

One of the most popular interactive elements is the "Color Blind Experience," which uses advanced simulations to demonstrate how individuals with different types of color vision deficiencies perceive the world. This empathy-building experience helps visitors understand the wide spectrum of human visual perception.

The Psychology of Color

Beyond the physics and biology, color profoundly impacts our emotions, behaviors, and cultural expressions. The psychology section of the exhibit explores how different colors can evoke specific emotional responses and how these associations vary across cultures and contexts.

Visitors can participate in real-time experiments that measure their emotional and physiological responses to different color environments. The "Mood Room" allows groups to vote on a color scheme and then experience how the changing light affects group dynamics and communication patterns. This section also explores the use of color in marketing, design, and behavioral nudging.

Color in Nature and Culture

The final sections of the exhibit examine how color functions in the natural world and throughout human cultural history. Displays of brilliant minerals, iridescent butterfly wings, and dynamic animal camouflage demonstrate evolution's remarkable use of structural and pigment-based color.

The cultural history of color takes visitors through the development of pigments and dyes across civilizations – from prehistoric cave paintings to the synthetic color revolution that transformed modern art and design. Interactive stations allow visitors to virtually mix historic pigments and understand the complex chemistry behind color production throughout human history.

The Technology Behind the Experience

Creating this immersive exhibit required innovative technology and interdisciplinary collaboration. Our exhibition team worked with lighting designers, software engineers, and sensory specialists to create interactive experiences that are both scientifically accurate and intuitively engaging.

The exhibit utilizes responsive LED lighting systems that can produce precise wavelengths of light, augmented reality stations that visualize invisible aspects of color physics, and custom software that translates complex scientific principles into accessible, hands-on experiences. For younger visitors, specialized activities use play-based learning approaches to introduce color concepts in age-appropriate ways.

Educational Impact

Since opening, "The Science of Color" has become one of our most popular educational destinations for school groups. The exhibit's cross-curricular approach naturally bridges science, art, and humanities, making it valuable for diverse educational objectives. Teachers have particularly appreciated how the exhibit makes abstract concepts concrete through direct experience.

We invite all visitors to experience this vibrant new addition to the Perot Museum and discover the extraordinary science behind the colors that enrich our world every day. The exhibit will remain open through the end of the year and features rotating special demonstrations and workshops on weekends.

At the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, conservation isn't just a topic we display—it's a principle that guides our work. Our multifaceted approach to conservation combines scientific research, educational initiatives, and community engagement to make meaningful contributions to global conservation efforts.

Research and Documentation

The foundation of effective conservation is thorough scientific understanding. Our museum houses extensive research collections that document biodiversity across Texas and beyond. These collections serve as crucial baselines for measuring environmental changes and species distribution shifts resulting from climate change and habitat loss.

Our research team conducts regular biological surveys in partnership with state agencies and conservation organizations. These surveys have led to several significant discoveries, including documenting previously unrecorded species in North Texas and monitoring population changes in vulnerable ecosystems. The data collected contributes to regional conservation planning and informs habitat restoration projects.

Specimen Preservation

Preserving natural history specimens requires specialized knowledge and careful techniques. Our conservation laboratory uses cutting-edge methods to maintain both exhibited specimens and research collections for future generations. From fluid preservation of biological specimens to specialized storage environments for geological samples, our conservation team ensures these irreplaceable materials remain available for ongoing scientific study.

Recently, our conservation department completed a comprehensive digitization project, creating high-resolution 3D scans of our most important specimens. This digital archive not only preserves the information in case of physical damage but also makes these specimens accessible to researchers worldwide without risking the originals through handling or transport.

Habitat Restoration Partnerships

Beyond our walls, the museum actively participates in habitat restoration projects throughout the region. Our flagship initiative is the Blackland Prairie Restoration Project, where we've partnered with local landowners to restore native grassland ecosystems that once covered vast portions of North Texas but have been reduced to less than 1% of their original extent.

Museum scientists provide expertise in identifying appropriate native plant species, monitoring restoration progress, and documenting the return of native wildlife. Public volunteer days allow community members to participate directly in restoration activities, from seed collection to planting. These restored areas now serve as living laboratories for ongoing research and educational programs.

Educational Outreach

Education is perhaps our most powerful conservation tool. Our museum offers a range of programs designed to build ecological literacy and inspire conservation action. The Conservation Academy, our intensive summer program for high school students, combines classroom learning with field experiences and culminates in student-designed conservation projects implemented in their own communities.

For younger learners, our "Nature Explorers" program uses hands-on activities to build connections with the natural world and develop conservation values from an early age. Teacher training workshops provide educators with resources and methodologies to effectively incorporate conservation themes into their curriculum across subject areas.

Urban Wildlife Initiatives

Recognizing that conservation happens everywhere—not just in protected wilderness—we've developed several urban wildlife initiatives. Our Urban Biodiversity Monitoring Network engages citizen scientists in documenting wildlife throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Participants use our custom mobile app to record observations, contributing to a growing database that helps track urban ecosystem health.

The "Backyard Habitat Certification" program works with homeowners and community groups to create wildlife-friendly spaces in urban and suburban settings. By providing guidance on native plantings, water conservation, and sustainable gardening practices, we're helping transform urban landscapes into functional habitats for native species.

Sustainable Operations

We believe that conservation principles should extend to our own operations. The Perot Museum building itself incorporates numerous sustainability features, including rainwater harvesting, energy-efficient systems, and recycled materials. Our GREEN Team continuously evaluates our practices to reduce resource consumption and waste generation throughout our operations.

Recent initiatives include transitioning to all-LED lighting throughout the museum, implementing a comprehensive recycling and composting program, and sourcing sustainable materials for exhibits and retail products. These practices not only reduce our environmental footprint but also demonstrate practical conservation actions to our visitors.

Looking Forward

As environmental challenges grow more urgent, the role of natural history museums in conservation becomes increasingly vital. We're expanding our conservation programming through new partnerships, enhanced research capabilities, and innovative public engagement strategies.

Our upcoming Conservation Center, scheduled to open in 2024, will provide dedicated space for specimen preservation, research, and public education on conservation science. Through these efforts, we aim to inspire and empower our community to participate in preserving our natural heritage for generations to come.