Museums

["Andy Farke" <andyfarke@hotmail.com>]

I've decided I'll add my two cents to the museum debate.

One thing I'd like to see emphasized in more museum displays is the 
*uniqueness* of dinosaurs. All too often, they're portrayed as glorified 
mammals.

Sure it's great to compare Velociraptor with modern wolves, and 
Triceratops with rhinos, but they were so much more complex than this. 
(Incidentally, I'm writing a paper at the moment discussing why modern 
horned mammals are about the worst possible analogy for ceratopsids, at 
least when it comes to the function of things such as the sinus 
complex).

An encouraging trend is that museums are less afraid to admit when they 
don't know something or when something is controversial (e.g., the much 
debated Barosaurus mount at the AMNH). I'd like to see more of 
this--there are so many uncertainties in paleontology! It doesn't just 
make good displays--it makes good science.

In short, I'm not so concerned about the technology end of things as the 
intellectual end. And for my own pleasure, I'd like to see more 
ornithischians (especially ceratopsids). There are too durned many 
theropods nowadays.

Andy Farke
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