Thursday, August 29, Mesa West Rotary members were invited to participate in a behind-the-scenes tour of the Arizona Museum of Natural History in downtown Mesa.
Individuals involved in providing an enlightening tour:
- Simon Tipene Adlam, Director
- Alison Stoltman, Deputy Director
- Dr. Ismael Sanchez-Morales, Anthropology
- Laura Benedict, Collections Manager 0 Anthropology
The museum's purpose is to provide a hub of discovery based on scientific data enabling visitors to take positive actions to become better citizens.
Internships are offered through the museum. They have the largest internship program in the City of Mesa - twelve weeks fully funded ten interns at $20,000. These internships provide hands-on experience and enable the intern to practice and get real jobs from their experience.
What is the difference between Paleontology versus Archeology? Debbie Koeneman answered it!!!
- Paleontology: The study of fossils to learn about the history of life on Earth before humans. Paleontologists study fossils of plants, animals, and other organisms that lived in prehistoric times. They can use fossils to understand past ecologies, evolutionary events, and climate.
- Archeology: The study of human-made artifacts and structures to learn about the history of people on Earth. Archaeologists study material remains of past human life and activities, such as tools, cave paintings, and ancient scripts.
Bottom line: Paleo is the study of fossils, plants, animals and Archeology is how the humans used them in the past.
One bit of information shared: The "correct" term for the indigenous people in Arizona is "Tohono O'odham." "Hohokom" is not how they wish to be known.
The Natural History Museum now offers a room for birthday parties as a revenue stream. They are the highest performing facility with a 68% recovery rate on costs.
Photos are courtesy of Colleen Coons, Lola McLane, and John Pennypacker.