Tag Archives: denver museum of nature and science

The Joy of Science & Natural History Museums

Entrance to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT.

Entrance to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT.

Dinosaurs, space, environmental processes, earth science. Are you getting excited? The best science and natural history museums promote wonder and spark your imagination. They’ll get you thinking, educate, and maybe even get you excited about the natural sciences.

I’ve been to several museums in the past few years due to my son’s interest in dinosaurs and space. This isn’t anything new for me; only the frequency has increased. I’ve been a fan of natural history museums since I was a kid. Growing up in Pittsburgh, trips to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History were a thrill. It was an impressive building filled with all these amazing things for a young scientist-to-be to explore. The dinosaurs, of course, were the biggest attraction. But there was also the diorama, “The Arab Courier.” I had to see this every visit. As a kid I “got” dinosaurs, but this was different. It put me in a curious mental place that nothing else did. I was fascinated and even a bit scared. Looking at a photo of it now, it’s still fascinating! Isn’t that a what a natural history museum should do? Continue reading →

TNEP Profile: Dr. Scott Sampson, Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Dinosaur Train

Dr. Scott as seen in an episode of Dinosaur Train. Screen grab of the show produced by the Jim Henson Company.

Dr. Scott Sampson is an accomplished paleontologist and the Vice President of Research & Collections and Chief Curator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. If you’re not an insider in the museum community or the field of paleontology, like me, then you probably know him as, “Dr. Scott the Paleontologist” from the TV show Dinosaur Train. He is the science advisor and appears on the PBS Kids show to guide an episode’s discussion on dinosaurs.

I was first introduced to Dr. Sampson by his appearances on Dinosaur Train while watching with my son. After learning that he works in Denver and reading his blog, this paleontologist from TV became more interesting. I was curious to learn more about him and his career. He generously invited me to his office at the museum and everything I assumed about him was confirmed. He was enjoyable to talk with, has had an interesting career and has good stories to tell.

In our lengthy interview, we talked about his role as a science communicator, his work at the museum, his new book, and of course, Dinosaur Train. Enjoy the interview.

TNEP: What led you toward being a science ambassador or science communicator. Continue reading →