Great Plains Dinosaur Museum opens new displays

The Great Planes Dinosaur Museum recently added two new features to the facility with the addition of an interactive kiosk for Leonardo – the famous duckbill dinosaur – as well as parts of the museum's crocodile, Arrow, that haven't been seen by the public.

"The (parts of) our crocodile have been in our lab since 2008 when we got it," said Dixie Stordahl, museum board member.

The opening of the two new displays at the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum took place two Saturday's ago with a party featuring a presentation by scientist Art Anderson, food and drinks as well as thanks given to board members and landowners alike.

"Without them," said Carolyn Schmoeckel, president of the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum Foundation., "none of this would be possible; this would just be another empty building in Malta, Montana."

Certificates of appreciation were given to the Hammond Fossil Farm, the site which Leonardo was discovered, the Morrison Farm and Ranch, as well as landowners Kent and Lorraine Wasson and Allen and Connie Wasson. Also honored on the night for their help of support of the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum was the Two Medicine Dinosaur Center, the Koss family.

Anderson then gave a presentation on some of the finer points on how he and his team made 3D renderings of Leonardo.

"I would like to thank everyone here tonight for all they do for the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum," added Schmoeckel.

Schmoeckel also announced that this will be museum curator Sue Frary final summer running the facility.

Frary thanked the folks who have allowed the Junior Paleo program to be conducted on their property over the past four years.

"Because of their allowing this kid's program to happen, more and more kids sign-up and this year, again, we had a record number of children in the program," she said. "I've been told by some of the people that the program is one of the best programs they have been able to bring their kids to in the country."

She said that each summer children find "tons of stuff" and the family experience is made possible by the people who allow their land to be used.

"It's breathtakingly beautiful," she added.

Frary said the night was also "about the crocodile" and said that though the area's dinosaurs get a lot of attention ,that alligators and crocodiles were everywhere in the area back in the day.

"We have only been able, until today, to display just the skull of Arrow," she said. "He is a very young juvenile found down by Bridger. He is very rare, there are only seven of them in the world."

Frary added that the new touch screen display for Leonardo will allow the museum to get more information to visitors in a more concise way.

"Before, we had a zillion signs everywhere and a million things to read and things just kind of got lost," she said. "This display is a beautiful way to bring that information to people."