UPDATED: Alberta government opens new exhibit at the Royal Tyrrell Museum

The Alberta government announced it would be opening the new First Life exhibit at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology (RTMP). First Life at the RTMP’s new gallery will open on Friday in time for the long weekend. It explores the evolution of the earliest life on Earth — from microbes to multicellular animals — and features recently discovered Canadian fossils that provide evidence changing scientists’ understanding about the evolution of modern animals. “The Tyrrell is already a world-class attraction that showcases the amazing history of our region,” said Alberta United Conservative Party MLA Nate Horner (Drumheller-Stettler) in a Friday press release.“This new exhibit will attract even more visitors and demonstrate the very origins of life on our planet, boosting the economy in southern Alberta and the Canadian Badlands for decades to come.”The RTMP has one of the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs and is Canada’s only museum dedicated to palaeontology. As one of the leading palaeontological research centres in the world, the Alberta government said it is making some of the oldest known fossils, including the earliest evidence of life in Alberta, available to people. It said its new 163-square-metre gallery space features captivating new videos, illustrations, models and hands-on interactive activities, creating a unique experience for visitors. The Burgess Shale diorama is the only exhibit element that has been kept in place from before the renovations.Improvements made to the space include reduced wall heights to create for a glass wall showing off Dinosaur Hall, offering better views for people. The Alberta government pointed out First Life displays fossils from the Precambrian and Cambrian Era. In addition to the fossils on display, it said some of them are from Yoho National Park in British Columbia and are on long-term loan from the Royal Ontario Museum.“For almost 40 years, the Royal Tyrrell Museum has shared the remarkable story of Alberta’s palaeontological past with millions of visitors from around the world,” said RTMP Executive Director Lisa Making. “With the redevelopment of this exhibit, we seek to ignite wonder and curiosity by highlighting the strange and remarkable creatures that were some of the earliest forms of life on Earth.”RTMP Director, Preservation and Research Craig Scott said the journey through time begins at First Life. “This new exhibit sheds light on the strange life that existed hundreds of millions of years ago and provides visitors with the most up to date interpretations of what those organisms looked like and how they lived,” said Scott.Horner followed up by saying he was a dinosaur child. “Before I could read, I was trying to remember how to spell the names of dinosaurs,” said Horner. “I came by this honestly, but I know my kids love this place.” People have spoken to him about how the RTMP is a gem. He said it is on the bucket list of many people across the world.

UPDATED: Alberta government opens new exhibit at the Royal Tyrrell Museum

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