| Contact:
Jeff Morgan, Jeff.Morgan@iowa.gov,
(515) 281-3858
(DES
MOINES) –Beginning Friday, moviegoers who see
“Night at the Museum” at the Merle Hay
Mall Cinema will receive a coupon to “Hatching
the Past: The Great Dinosaur Egg Hunt,” a new
exhibit that opens next month at the State Historical
Museum.
The coupon will be good for $1 off the regular admission
to “Hatching the Past,” which runs January
20 to May 7, 2007 at the Historical Museum, 600 E.
Locust Street in Des Moines’ Historic East Village.
Admission to the exhibit is $5 for adults, free for
children 2 and under and State Historical Society
of Iowa members. Admission to the Historical Museum
remains free. Museum hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday
and Noon-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Visit www.iowahistory.org
or call 515-281-5111 for more information. The Merle
Hay Mall Cinema is at 3800 Merle Hay Road, behind
the Merle Hay Mall in Des Moines. Visit www.merlehaymall.com
or call 515-252-0804 for more information.
“This is a wonderful example of how two cultural
venues can work together to offer Iowans different
experiences that revolve around a common thread,”
said Anita Walker, director of the Iowa Department
of Cultural Affairs. “We are very grateful to
Merle Hay Mall Cinema for supporting the State Historical
Museum. I encourage Iowans to see the movie, get the
coupon and come to the Historical Museum.”
“Night at the Museum” stars Ben Stiller,
Robin Williams, Bill Cobbs, Dick Van Dyke and Mickey
Rooney. It is the story of good-hearted dreamer Larry
Daley (Stiller) who, despite being perpetually down
on his luck, thinks he’s destined for something
big. But even he could never have imaged how “big”
when he accepts what appears to be a menial job as
a graveyard-shift security guard at a museum of natural
history.
During Larry’s watch, extraordinary things
begin to occur: Mayans, Roman Gladiators and cowboys
emerge from their diorama to wage epic battles; in
his quest for fire, a Neanderthal burns down his own
display; Attila the Hun (Patrick Gallagher) pillages
his neighboring exhibits, and a T-Rex reminds everyone
why he’s history’s fiercest predator.
Amidst the chaos, the only person Larry can turn
to for advice is a wax figure of President Theodore
Roosevelt (Williams), who helps our hero harness the
bedlam, stop a nefarious plot and save the museum.
Meanwhile, “Hatching the Past” will give
visitors to the State Historical Museum a rare and
exciting look at the life of dinosaurs through their
eggs, nests and embryos. The hands-on exhibit offers
an array of authentic dinosaur eggs and nests collected
from all over the globe – including those of
each of the major plant- and meat-eating dinosaur
groups.
Although dinosaur eggs were first identified in the
1920s, their scientific significance was not fully
appreciated until the end of the 20th century. Today,
dinosaur eggs are recognized for their scientific
value and for offering details and insights into the
behavior, growth and evolution of dinosaurs.
“When most of us think of dinosaurs, we think
of fully grown adults,” Walker said. “This
exhibit showcases the amazing science of dinosaur
eggs – how and where scientists have discovered
eggs and nests, and the remarkable stories these fossilized
eggs reveal about dinosaur life.”
“Hatching the Past” presents new findings
about dinosaur reproduction and behavior and introduces
some of the people and science behind the discoveries.
The multi-media experience helps give credence to
long debated theories that dinosaurs and birds are
closely related.
A captivating experience for all ages, “Hatching
the Past” invites visitors to see or touch more
than 300 dinosaur bones and reconstructed nests –
one more than eight feet in diameter – dig for
eggs, experience hands-on exploration stations and
view animated video presentations featuring dinosaur
experts.
The State Historical Society of Iowa is a trustee
of Iowa’s historical legacy and an advocate
for understanding Iowa’s past. It identifies,
records, collects, preserves, manages and provides
access to Iowa’s historical resources. Its dual
mission of preservation and education serves Iowans
of all ages, conducts and stimulates research, disseminates
information, and encourages and supports historical
preservation and education efforts of others throughout
the state.
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