There you are, cruising through the exhibits, each one more fascinating than the next. Rhinoceros? Check. Buffalo? Check. Primates? Check. Cyclops? WHAT. You are now standing in front of a massive, blocky skull as big as a man's torso. The long nose partially conceals the mandible, but on each side you see a grin lined with giant, shiny teeth - the flat kind used for crushing food in a powerful jaw. You look for the eyes and are startled see what appears to be two empty sockets that have merged in the middle of the forehead like a double yolk egg in a frying pan. The ancient Greeks and Romans knew this creature well: it is Cyclops, maker of thunderbolts, eater of people. Of course, they'd never seen one alive, just its skull and a few other bones, but it's easy to see how the story started. You half believe it yourself - even though you are clever enough to read the exhibit card explaining that this is actually an elephant.
After that, you might see everything else in a different light. You will soon discover sea dragons (orca), fairies (bumblebee bat), and unicorns (African gazelle). Stand before the mighty hartebeest, and you'll wonder if he would meet you at a crossroads to make a deal at midnight. Suddenly mermaids (manatee) and vampires (flying fox) don't seem so far-fetched.
Now take a moment with the early hominids. Can you believe you are standing in the presence of Lucy? Not the real one, of course, but an extraordinarily fine reproduction truly worthy of an osteology museum. She is tiny, this mother of Eden. Next to her is the skull of Australopithecus, said to be the ancestor of modern yeti, yowie, and Sasquatch. What wonders of the natural world are yet to be discovered?
You examine the large bird exhibit: ostrich, emu, and cassuary skeletons are shown in their natural environment among tall reeds and grass. These are birds, yes; but they are undeniably dinosaurs. They make you think of the vestigial bones in the whale floating over your head right now, and they make you feel humble to think of our human place in the long, fascinating tale of life on Earth.
On the way out, you'll be glad you left time for the gift shop. You'll probably wish you had more money, because EVERYTHING in here is AMAZING! It's a science geek's dream, and you'll feel like a kid again surrounded by real fossils, geodes, and mosasaur teeth. There are tons of fun books and games for kids, plus reproduction dinosaur teeth, quirky Bigfoot things, and assorted souvenir keychains, T-shirts, and the like. Don't feel bad about buying that ammonite fossil you've always wanted - do it for science.