From 15th February until 1st November 2020, head down to Forest Hill and check out the exciting new exhibition at Horniman Museum and Gardens: Permian Monsters: Life Before the Dinosaurs. Have dino-crazy kids or love the Jurassic era yourself? Then this is the exhibition for you! Expand your knowledge of an era of history often overlooked as Horniman Museum goes way back to the Permian age.
Hidden away in their exhibition room, Permian Monsters: Life Before The Dinosaurs is a family-friendly exhibition, where both children and adults can have a day filled with wonder as they discover a time long forgotten. The exhibition follows a time period 252 million years ago called the Permian, featuring creatures that were reptile-dinosaur hybrids, but very unique in their own way!
It is a travelling exhibition produced by Gondwana Studios, that Horniman Museum are very proud to host! There is so much more to this event than just models to look at, although they are very impressive too! Fossil models adorn the walls, encouraging you to interact and touch them, as well as pits to dig and discover your own fossils: certainly an activity both children and their parents can get stuck in to!
One of the most impressive aspects of the exhibition were the animatronics of the Permian monsters. This really made the event come to life - quite literally - as the monsters make noises and move in an incredibly realistic way, with head and mouth movements, even down to their bodies moving to simulate breathing. These animatronics dotted around the exhibition created a deeper connection to these Permian monsters and allowed us to picture more vividly how these creatures existed on our Earth.
In an impressively condensed way that did not feel overwhelming, this exhibition manages to give you a well rounded tour of the Permian era, from its place on the historic timeline, to its terrain and, of course, it’s creatures! As well as life like models to admire, the exhibition also features some awe-inspiring artwork from artists interpreting the climate these Permian creatures would have been living in, all done with impressive skill! These paintings do a fantastic job of placing these intimidating creatures in a landscape, making it clearer for the visitor, and develops an even deeper connection to the past.
The artefacts preserved in the glass cases should not be ignored and are displayed for those with a keen eye for detail and authenticity, grounding the artwork and models you see in reality. The skeleton models are for those visitors with an introspective mind and who want to know, both inside and out, what makes up these magnificent creatures.
The arrangement of the exhibit itself was interesting and interactive in its own way, as the artefacts, fossil pits, models and animatronics are scattered around the room, leaving it up to the visitor to piece together the information and visuals to create the entire picture of the Permian era, before being presented with an impressive replica image of what Earth would have looked like all those millions of years ago.
Perhaps you have children with you that need to let off some steam? The kids area is a great addition to this family exhibit, with colouring stations and boxes filled with dinosaur themed books, perfect if your little one needs some down time from all the excitement! Your children may even find the fun costumes provided, whether they want to dress up as a dinosaur or an archeologist, features like these are perfect for children who love roleplaying, immersing them even more in the exhibit. Plus, they make great photo opportunities too!
There’s something here for every type a learner, whether its hearing the ferocious growls that excite you, or reading closely at the information panels on the walls. The diagrams shown in the exhibit are useful and clear, delivering information such as where the Permian age fits in the time line, or a tree diagram to explain how they are related to the dinosaurs and beyond. Overall, there is a good mix of mediums to obtain this fascinating information so, no matter how you choose to enjoy the exhibition, everyone will leave feeling fulfilled!
The Permian Monsters: Life Before the Dinosaurs at Horniman Museum and Gardens runs from 15th February to 1st November 2020, with tickets starting at £8 for adults and £4.50 for children, with options for family bundle tickets too. Make sure you book these tickets in advance and give yourself and your children an experience they won’t forget!
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