Drexel University's natural history museum is very near the Franklin Institute. The natural history museum is smaller, and quieter. (At least -- it was quieter when we were there!)
They have paleontologist talks. This next image shows the paleontologist we talked with, in the place where we talked to him (with his drawings on the blackboards behind him).
This image is a confusion of media. At some point, someone took video of him, and much later I took a pic of the video (which was elsewhere in the museum). (This explains the gold reflections on his throat and shoulder....)
The lab (one of the labs?) where they separate dino bones from the rock in which they were found is open to the public (with plexiglass between, so visitors aren't showered with rock dust or fragments). I think they use a lot of dental tools to get rid of the rock...... It was interesting to talk to the paleontologist, who was on the team which found some of the bones they were cleaning when we were there.
There was also a volunteer there, working on cleaning bones. What a cool volunteer job! (Aside from the requirement that volunteers talk to visitors about what they are doing....)
I'd seen pressed flowers and pressed plants before, but this is the first time I'd seen a pressed plant specimen the size of a full-grown sunflower plant! This was over 6' tall. When I think of "pressed plants," I don't think of something the size of a sunflower stem. That is not a flat object.......
Drexel's natural history museum has a bunch of taxidermy. I'm pretty creeped out by taxidermy. Knowing how so many of the critters displayed are now endangered makes me sincerely wish the ones who are dead, in museums, had been allowed to live out their lives in peace in their rightful habitat.
Sigh.
I'd rather look at live bugs than at dead mammals.
They have a butterfly room, with lots of butterflies (and some moths).
This one was on the floor. I was hoping no one would step on it, especially after someone came in with a little kid and a stroller. They did have a person in there to protect the butterflies. But one person can't really keep close track of more than one little kid, unless they are really on task, and if there are more than two little kids, I'll assert that the insects are not safe with only one alert guardian.
These guys were enjoying a slice of orange.
Interesting and scary how many of these insects were injured, even in a place with no predators. (Though, I suppose, a toddler is a fairly fearsome predator.....)
This was huge. Over 6' wide......... Note little pale things in lower left corner.
Betting these are someone's eggs........ (And I think the shadows are interesting.)
I like that we can tell it was flapping those wings.
This is an insect, too. I believe we are looking mostly at its back. I think its head is near the top, pretty much in the middle. I think it has a big point on the back of its head. I think I can make out six legs....... This would be really well camouflaged in dry leaf litter...........
On our way out. Aren't these the coolest door pulls?
Walking back to the hotel. Tadeusz Kosciuszko was a Revolutionary-war hero. My mom grew up in Kosciuszko County, Indiana. I always get pics of Tadeusz when I find his image.
This is for you, Mom.
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