Dinosaurs and "Deep Time"

            On January 28^th, the class took a trip to the Natural History Museum here in Kensington. There were many impressive exhibits, but the one I focused on the most and my favorite was the dinosaur exhibit. In order for Victorians to understand their modern city, they had to contrast it with “Deep Time.” Dinosaur remains were the best way for Victorians to grasp the geological changes of their city. While studying dinosaur remains were common amongst Victorians, it’s important to understand that people look at and conceptualize dinosaurs in a plethora of ways.

            At the dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum, there are fossils, replicas, and interactive activities. A lot of the objects had concise factual information attached to it in order to better comprehend the history of that specific dinosaur. While many kids were looking at the objects behind the glass, even more kids were attracted to the mechanical t-rex and the dinosaur related movie posters. This can greatly skew one’s perception on dinosaurs, especially since children are fascinated with the way they look and the way they act, but not necessarily their history. In the W.J.T. Mitchell reading, we take a closer look at this idea. There is a cultural meaning of a dinosaur versus the factual meaning of a dinosaur. The problem with the cultural meaning lies in the commercialization of dinosaurs in movies like Jurassic Park and Ice Age. Dinosaur images and movies are targeted at a younger population, yet they are the ones who have the cultural understanding of them, not the factual understanding. In addition, dinosaurs are often studied in elementary school, which is also where a lot of children’s’ interest in them comes from. In all, looking at fossils and artifacts that help us gather information on dinosaurs is a great example of “Deep Time.”

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/galleries-and-museum-map/dinosaurs.html