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Museum Expansion FAQ
The Mesozoic Gardens is the first stage in our museum's
new multi-faceted expansion project. The Mesozoic Gardens, a first of its kind
paleobotanical experience, will be a glass conservatory featuring plants from
the Mesozoic Era, having a direct link to the species found from that fossil
age. Visitors will experience a living environment parallel to that faced by
Utah's dinosaurs when they lived.
Other collections of living fossil plants exist in a
few locations worldwide, but this is the first in the Western US and will be the
world's most extensive. It will be the most integrated as well, offering a
complete experience in conjunction with living animals whose ancestry also
extends back to the time of the dinosaurs, and displays of the regions' rich
fossil record will provide a unique perspective on life of the past.
Click on a question below for more information. If you
have need of further information concerning anything not addressed below, please
email
Jeff Bartlett our Director of Collections and
Research or
Christine K. Trease our Director of Public
Relations.
FAQ
Why should we expand?
Why a botanic garden in Carbon County?
Where will the Mesozoic Gardens be located?
Where is the money for the expansion/gardens coming from?
How long before the opening of the gardens? How long
before the new museum is built?
What
will happen with the current museum building?
Will this project and moving the museum take
business away from downtown or have a negative impact on the city?
Will this project and moving the museum have an impact on the college
campus/community?
How can I get involved?
Where can I get more information?
The rich prehistoric
resources in this area have filled current facilities to capacity. As Utah
develops and progresses, more and more resources are unearthed and come to
light. Expanded facilities would serve multiple purposes: keeping larger and
larger prehistoric collections safe in improved, larger repositories; giving the
public a better experience and greater connection to those resources; and adding
new, unique facets to that experience with the Mesozoic Gardens.
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It
wasn't always this arid here. The Mesozoic Gardens will recreate life as it was
right here in Central and Eastern Utah during the Age of Dinosaurs. With our
extensive evidence of fossil animals and plants in the regions, Carbon County is
an ideal location for a fossil ecosystem brought to life.
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It
will be located on Fairgrounds Road just north of the Price River Water
Improvement District property. A billboard is located onsite and is double sided
with a layout of plans. When built, the glass pyramid forming the centerpiece of
the Mesozoic Gardens will stand out to passersby on Highway 6 as well as
affording a direct view from Main Street downtown.
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The Mesozoic Gardens phase is projected to cost between $4 and $5 million
, with an additional budget for outdoor gardens and amenities. Money will come
from private and institutional donors, county support, and private donations
from folks like you. (Back to Top)
Design
teams ware making progress now, and the site is under development. Construction
is planned for next spring. The structure is designed to be built in a
relatively short time. With fundraising going well, we may see its doors open to
the public by the following summer. Once the Mesozoic Gardens is underway,
planning and construction of the next phase will begin, taking several years to
completion. (Back to Top)
After completion of the museum facility, the current property reverts to City
use. This building may serve a number of valuable purposes; options include
starting a new historical museum or archives, city offices, or perhaps a
public-use space such as a children's' activity center. These options will be
discussed and a plan made in the near future.
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Just the
opposite: A welcome increase in visitation and tourism will draw more people
and more business to the area, from attracting drivers off the highway to luring
international research conferences. Just like the museum’s current benefits to
the city, the future impact will be to increase interest, generate tourism, and
improve people’s overall experience in Carbon County. And while the project
moves forward, our continued presence on Main Street will have more and more
positive influence over the next several years.
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Nearly the same answer lies here as questioning the
impact on the main street area but on a completely different level. The
difference in distance is less than 2 minutes from where the current location
is, and the benefits are far beyond comparison. The research doors that the
Mesozoic Gardens not to mention the museum expansion offers to students far
outweighs the location. Many students will desire to attend college here and
utilize this great asset. This facility will offer state of the art research
capabilities that can, quite literally, be found nowhere else in the world. What
an asset to the college this addition will be. The vast expansion of
opportunities that can be offered to students verses what currently exists can
mean nothing less than a great influx of students desiring to study and learn
here.
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The museum
accepts all levels of tax-deductible private donations targeted for this
expansion project. You can email or call museum administration staff for
details. We will offer a range of donation levels and dedication programs such
as “buy-a-brick” and other naming opportunities. And at any time, we welcome
volunteer participation in a variety of projects. In the near future, more
opportunities to participate in plant cultivation and development of the
Mesozoic Gardens will become available.
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INFORMATION:
Among the press releases and news stories, the best source is a feature we are
adding to our website:
http://museum.ceu.edu/museum-expansion.htm
The Sun Advocate
newspaper has written about the expansion also: “Officials break ground...”
http://www.sunadvocate.com/index.php?tier=1&pub=2007-03-27&page=news#2
Proposed museum site...
http://www.sunad.com/index.php?tier=1&pub=2007-03-15&page=morenews#6
Australian group plans dinosaur-era garden on bluff overlooking Price
Salt Lake Tribune Article
Living The
Scientific Life
http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2007/03/mesozoic_plant_and_animal_muse.php
Other news stories can
be found in press and blogs on the Internet.
We will continue to compile lists
of these items and link them to our website.
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