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- Is the Museum of Paleontology a public museum?
- The Museum of Paleontology (UCMP) is not a public museum. It is a research facility whose collections are only available to qualified researchers with appropriate permission. A small selection of UCMP specimens is on display on the first and second floors of the west side of the Valley Life Sciences Building (VLSB). These window displays and freestanding statues include a full-scale T-rex skeleton and an exhibit tracing the evolutionary history of humans, highlighting Berkeley’s contribution to various fields of paleontology More information about these paleo-displays can be found on our website. In addition to UCMP's paleo-displays, the University and Jepson Herbaria has some examples of prehistoric plants in the VLSB first floor atrium just outside their Administrative Offices (across from the T-rex skeleton); the Essig Museum of Entomology's window displays are located on the first floor (also near T-rex); and the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology's window displays are on the third floor around the top of the spiral staircase. On the east side of the building, the Golub Microscope Collection is on display in the Onderdonk Lobby. All of these exhibits are free of charge and available for viewing during the building's regular hours of operation. The Valley Life Science Building is also home to the Bioscience, Natural Resources and Public Health Library, which sets the hours of operation for VLSB. Please visit the library's website for this information.
- Are the dinosaur fossils on display at the UCMP in the Valley Life Sciences Building real?
- The original fossil bone material is often too heavy for display purposes. Replicas or casts made from the original bones are commonly used in fossil displays such as ours.
- My child is really interested in dinosaurs. Are there other dinosaur museums in the Bay Area?
- There are no local museums devoted entirely to dinosaurs at this time, but UCMP's website offers a wealth of online resources for K-12 students and teachers interested in science and paleontology. The site also includes information about UC's undergraduate and graduate programs in related fields in the Departments of Integrative Biology, Earth and Planetary Sciences and Geology.
- Does UCMP offer any public programs or events?
- The museum sometimes participates in CalDay, an annual event that provides newly admitted students and their families an opportunity to experience the Berkeley campus. Learn more about CalDay at https://visit.berkeley.edu/calday .
- I have a fossil. Can you identify it for me?
- As we have limited staffing and resources, we are unable to offer this kind of assistance.
- I need to interview a paleontologist for a school assignment. May I interview someone at your museum?
- Due to limited staffing and resources, the museum's scientists are not always available for interviews. However, UCMP's Paleontology Portal website includes a page called PaleoPeople, which features interviews with paleontologists at various universities and institutions around the U.S. and includes personal histories and science research. Additional information on both professional and vocational paleontologists can be found on the MyFossil website.