Finale

Today I conclude this visit to the Canadian Museum of Nature that I took in December before the lockdown, but tomorrow I have something of a coda. The Queens Lantern, with its glass walls, allows for great views looking out, including at the rest of the building. 

One more look up at the Moon.

And here we have the bottom level of the Lantern. During normal operations there might be activities set up here. At present, this area was closed off for Covid restrictions.

At the bottom of the central staircase I took this detail shot.

Heading out, I photographed one of the stained glass windows above the main entrance doors.

Outside, carved onto the walls, various heads of animals can be seen.

Here we have the main entrance.

And the west side.

And I leave off with this view of the Museum from the entrance to the Landscapes Of Canada Gardens,  where I'll pick up tomorrow with a look at the place from a recent winter's day visit.

Teeth

Coming back to where we started, here we have another view of daspletosaurus, a predecessor to the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Across from it is a reconstruction of the skull of a newly discovered species, spiclypeus shipporum.

This one bears the nickname Judith, for where it was found, near the Judith River in Montana. The artist's rendition does make for a photogenic dinosaur.

One last look at the daspletosaurus. My, what big teeth you have.

Out in the Queens Lantern, I took more shots of the Moon.

Horns

Displayed near this panel is a set of fossils that first identified a new species, chasmosaurus irvinensis, named after the nearby Canadian town where the fossils were found.

Across from it is the type of horned dinosaur that first comes to mind for most of us: triceratops.

Horned

 A panel explains one of the more unusual dinosaurs of the era: panoplosaurus.

A fossilized skull of this dinosaur is seen here.

The collection starts to move towards the various horned dinosaurs. Note what's on the wall at left.

These are the fossils of a throwback dinosaur called leptoceratops, an early member of the horned dinosaurs that lived at the same time as some of its more known cousins.

Fossils can include skin impressions.

Panels begin to look more at the horned dinosaurs.

And of course specimens.

We'll leave off here for today.

The Sea

 Casts of marine dinosaurs like the plesiosaur and mosasaur hang overhead here. Much of what's in this area relates to those dinosaurs and other life forms that either lived in water or spent a good deal of time around it.

Below are fossils of a dinosaur that at face value looked like a crocodile, but wasn't.

For today I'll leave off with this panel.