Western Science Center
Hemet, CA 92543 | |
| Coordinates | 33°42′19″N 116°59′35″W / 33.70528°N 116.99306°W |
|---|---|
| Director | Alton Dooley |
| Website | http://www.westerncentermuseum.org/ |
| Opening hours | Tuesday - Sunday, 10am – 5pm |
The Western Science Center (WSC), formerly the Western Center for Archaeology & Paleontology,
Opened in 2006, the museum has been designed to provide world-class facilities for the research, curation, and presentation of the nearly one million specimens discovered during the development of Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet.[2]
The Campus
The 33,000 square feet (3,100 m2) building was designed to be among the most eco-friendly museums in the United States. Its special environmental features include
The museum's public displays are housed in the permanent gallery, with another gallery housing temporary and traveling exhibits. The collections are held in the repository, not open to the public, which features 14-foot-tall (4.3 m), fully motorized compactor shelving units. The Collections Repository holds many paleontological and archaeological collections of
Exhibits
The museum features a 156 feet (48 m) long exterior walkway that holds a life-on-Earth timeline. The welcome lobby features 24 feet (7.3 m) high walls with re-created paleontological strata and reproduction fossils projecting from the walls.
The tour of the permanent gallery begins with interactive exhibits on the
Visitors can view two movies on the construction of Diamond Valley Lake, and the fauna of the
On August 21, 2021, the museum opened the new gallery, Prehistory Pathways, which focuses on fossils found in New Mexico's Menefee Formation and the museum's research there.[6][7][8] Included is the hadrosaur Ornatops, whose holotype is at the science centre, as well as artwork and models by the noted Brian Engh.
The museum also features a full-scale simulated archaeology and paleontology dig site, which opened for its first student excavations in the spring of 2009. It is currently being used by WSC staff, in association with local K-12 schools and colleges, to teach proper excavation methodology to students. It is also open for museum visitors to view an active dig site in process.[9]
Affiliations
In November 2008 the Smithsonian Institution granted Affiliate status to WSC.[10]
References
- ^ "New Name Spells Big Changes at Western Center" (PDF). Western Science Center. October 1, 2009. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
- ^ Ayala, Jamie. "Hemet museum honors region's past, seeks to protect planet's future". The Press Enterprise. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
- ^ Wesson, Gail (April 18, 2008). "Diamond Valley Lake museum buildings rated 'Platinum'". The Press Enterprise. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
- ^ "The Repository". Western Science Center. 2009. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
- ^ "Your experience at the Museum includes". Western Science Center. 2009. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
- ^ "PERMANENT EXHIBITS". Western Science Center. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
- ^ Yarbeugh, Beau (August 21, 2021). "Hemet's Western Science Center reopens after 18 months". The Press Enterprise. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
- ^ Dooley, Alton (July 27, 2021). "Duckbill on a stick! The #3dprinted premaxillae of the #dinosaur Ornatops, for the @WesternCenter exhibit "Prehistoric Pathways" opening August 21!". Twitter. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ "The WSC Simulated Dig Site Is Open". Western Science Center. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
- ^ "Western Center Named Smithsonian Affiliate" (PDF). Western Science Center. October 28, 2008. Retrieved 2010-09-18.[dead link]