The Museum of Idaho unveiled its newest special exhibit, Dinos of the Deep, which showcases the prehistoric marine reptiles that once roamed the Western Interior Seaway, which divided North America in half during the Cretaceous period.
The exhibit will feature 36 species of marine reptiles, including carnivorous reptiles, flying reptiles and giant flesh-eating fish. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore ancient environments, get hands-on with real fossils and learn about the process of paleontology.
The exhibit opened Feb. 18 — the museum’s 20-year anniversary — and will run until Sept. 10. The museum’s 20-year anniversary exhibit will open March 25 to celebrate two decades of leadership in education within the community.
Jasper Davis, a volunteer gallery attendant, shares that visitors should note that while marine reptiles all carry “saur” in their names, they are not technically dinosaurs. Dinosaurs can walk upright on their limbs, whereas marine reptiles cannot.
“To be a true dinosaur, they have to have a certain type of hip joint, which means that they just walk on land, usually on two legs, sometimes more,” Davis said. “The pterodactyl and the pterosaurs don’t have that hip joint, so they wouldn’t be classified as a dinosaur.”
The museum is located at 200 N Eastern Ave in Idaho Falls. For more information on the Dinos of the Deep exhibit check out their website.
