Dinosaurs Become Birds in Kenosha, Wisconsin

At the entrance of the Field Museum of Natural History, the jaw of the first time visitor drops. Her eyes move over the heads the crowds, engrossed in awe -- the white marble interior, the Fighting African Elephants and the overwhelming power of Sue's Tyrannasaur jaws. With the spectaular sight of Stanley Field Hall, it's a wonder folks ever make it to the rest of the exhibits.

A first impression can be deceiving, however. This is especially true in the case of the Dinosaur Discovery Museum in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Under the leadership of Carthage College paleontologist Dr. Thomas Carr, the tiny foyer of this space is the portal to a museum with a serious and specific mission -- to research and promote the relationship between dinosaurs and modern birds. The compact space, which houses the largest cast collection of Theropod dinosaurs in the North America, also contains the only gallery dedicated to the evolution of dinosaurs into birds.

This past weekend, the museum held a series of lectures and small exhibits for an event called "Darwin Day," a celebration of the birth of the famous naturalist. Lectures from local experts focussing on evolution (Dr. Greg Mayer), Darwin's life and legacy (Dr. Summer Ostrowski) and the evolution of birds (Dr. Thomas Carr) enlightened visitors of all ages, including me and my friends.

For my first time at the museum, lured by the notion of formally celebrating Darwin, I brought my iPad for notes and sported a t-shirt featuring a dinosaur boxing a robot (pictured above) to emphasize my dedication to the theory of evolution. I was not disappointed!

The creatively arranged Theropod casts in the mere 90 feet of gallery space depict imagined poses (crouching, eating, running) bringing the beasts to life in the mind of the visitor - and conjuring connections with their modern ancestors with little effort. I don't believe that there are many folks left in this world who doubt the origins of birds, but I think the evidence in this gallery would be hard for any skeptic to deny.

No dinosaur fossils have been found in the state of Wisconsin, but this little gem of a museum and the experts involved in its creation and development prove that there is a lot to learn about prehistoric life the heart of the midwest.