After staring at the triceratops on Science Hill longingly for four years now, I finally ventured into the Peabody Museum. The ticket waitlist piled up until July, but thankfully the student portal had more availability for tickets. I set my timer and booked the tickets immediately. Day of, I showed up at the museum and was shocked to see the line outside the museum composed mostly of little kids and strollers. The line moved quickly and as I walked into the museum and saw the hall, I caught glimpses of familiar faces to know that I wasn’t the only college student excited to look at dinosaurs.
Triceratops finds company
Sci-fi ticket capsule dropped in a gothic building
The first floor was dedicated to fossils, showing the casted models of dinosaurs and other extinct animals (including human ancestors!) as well as some real bones. There were museum workers who hosted touch booths that let visitors feel ocean fossils. I used to love how big the extinct animals were as a kid, but coming back now when I’m fully grown, the large sizes of the fossils were a bit freaky. The layout of the museum was extremely thoughtful as it highlighted human and mammal evolution as I walked through.
Dinosaur lovers big and small
The second floor I went to had an exhibit on the progress of technology, showing models of different telescopes across time as well as timekeeping technology. It was interesting to not only see scientific findings, but also learn about the tools and inventions required to make these discoveries. Then, I went to my personal favorite part of the museum focused on Ancient Egypt. It was beautiful to see the jewelry and hieroglyphics that show the craftsmanship of the past.
Everyone loves mini figurines
As of April when I went, the third floor of dioramas and Living Lab were not yet open, so I didn’t get a chance to see the live exhibits. Overall, it was a great trip to see the wonders of Yale’s collection as well as take a break from campus life to do something that felt like a field trip.
