Virtual Learning Programs

Painting Paleo Life

AUDIENCE
Grades 3-12
General Audience

PROGRAM DURATION 
30 minutes

DESCRIPTION
The museum walls can't talk, but they sure do seem to be whispering something. There are very interesting facts and fantasies visible in the murals behind our fossils and other exhibits. We will learn how science impacts art and how art is used to support science. This will be a fascinating art tour of our halls.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE
This live interactive program starts in the museum’s hallways to examine several of the early 20th century fresco and watercolor murals of Elizabeth Dolan. We will consider the original intent of the murals and how they supported the fossil displays and how that has changed over time. We then move into our Mesozoic Gallery and take a look at one of our modern-day murals by Mark Marcuson and delve into the artistic process of a scientific illustrator and the creation of art.