Remember When...

By: Rebecca Holden

Remember when you were a kid and fossils were so fascinating? To see real evidence

that proved these creatures you’ve only seen on glossy paper in textbooks truly lived in the same

world we live now, was something amazing. To be able to see such intricate details of what these

extinct creatures actually looked like, inside and out, is a rare and special event and can be

recaptured at The Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science is hosting the world premier exhibition of the

world’s most controversial bird…dinosaur? Archaeopteryx: Icon of Evolution features the famed

fossil, Archaeopteryx, which was discovered in the stone quarries of Solnhofen, Germany in

1861. It’s been argued that this fossil is from avian ancestry, even with scientific evidence

showing that it possessed more dinosaur characteristics. Also featured in the exhibit are other

fossils found in the quarries of Solnhofen, including fish, lizards, turtles, insects and

pterodactyls.

What makes the fossils that were found in Solhofen particularly a site to see is the

impeccable preservation of each. The detail that can be seen is beyond amazement that it

captures that long-ago feeling of child-like excitement of seeing the past come back to life.

Come capture the wonder and excitement while you still have time! Archaeopteryx: Icon

of Evolution will be on display from April 23-September 6, 2010. For ticket information and

exhibit hours, visit www.hmns.org or call (713) 639-4629.