 The
museum’s famous Dinosaur Hall has been transformed into a prehistoric theater,
with a dramatic light and sound show that brings the towering beasts to
life. The first of its kind in a museum dinosaur exhibit, the show occurs
on a basis during visiting hours and lasts for four minutes. Stop in and
be transported back to the Mesozoic Era as the dinosaur skeletons are revealed
in their startling glory. Various lighting techniques make the beasts appear
to move through the room, battle one another, or co-exist in a tranquil
setting, and environments range from daybreak through night to give you
a taste of a “day in the life of a dinosaur.” According to Cynthia
Limauro, the show’s co-designer with Christopher Popowich, the different
moods of the show are achieved through precise combinations of the lights’
color, angle, intensity and movement. The two designers use these techniques
daily at Carnegie Mellon University, where both teach lighting design in
the School of Drama. “Theatrical training served us well for this project,”
claims Limauro. “In the theater, the lighting designer has to tell a story
with lights by lighting the actors and scenery so that it all appears 3-D.
In this case, the dinosaurs are the actors, but we have to convey the same
sense of emotion that we do in the theater.” In addition to the daily shows,
Limauro and Popowich have created special shows for holidays, overnights,
special events and teacher workshops. This new addition turns a visit to
Dinosaur Hall into a spectacular theatrical event that you won’t want to
miss on your next trip to the museum. |
