We were working up until 4:30pm cleaning and putting the final touches on the exhibit. That gave us an hour to spare. I have to say that this exhibit was a challenge in more ways than one. It came in with plenty of time. In fact it was supposed to be done 4 days before we opened which would have put us ahead of schedule. The best laid plans… Somehow not everything was shipped, including the base for the giganotasaurus. Of course it was a holiday weekend which means we wouldn't be able to unload over the weekend so we had to wait until Tuesday. What started off ahead of schedule was now frighteningly close to being behind schedule. Ken, the installer, worked very hard and did a great job. With the help of the Junior College maintenance and grounds staff we did finish on time. It was, however, very stressful. The newspaper publisher even came by and helped us with lighting. We couldn't do it without all these people.
Back to the opening. We opened at 5:30pm on Thursday, January 23. We had been trying to keep people from getting a sneak peak of the exhibit so that they would get the full impact when they walked in that first time and in that spirit we made people wait until 5:30pm on the dot. It was a resounding success. We had punch and cookies and did a "soft opening". None of the pomp-and-circumstance usually associated with openings. Just refreshments and the exhibit. I admit that I was weary about doing a soft opening for a dinosaur exhibit (I mean, it's dinosaurs!) but it worked out really well. People came out of the exhibit impressed, saying that it is like what you would see at a big museum. One lady told me that her son dropped his video games when she asked if he wanted to go see dinosaurs. There's no better reaction.
Flash forward a couple days. Saturday was our first of four Family Fun Days. The last Saturday of every month is a free day to bring the entire family, enjoy the exhibit, hear from dinosaur professionals, make a dinosaur craft and watch a movie about dinosaurs. We had a schedule all lined out for the day. I honestly expected maybe 200 people. In the first two hours we had 500 people. At 5pm when we closed the door we had 1,138 people come through the exhibit. We still can't believe it when we see the numbers, but they are accurate. Families kept coming through the door! It was incredible and so much more than we ever thought!!! A good problem to have. That was our biggest one-day events ever. Safety Day had about 400 people and even one day of Staked Plains barely gets up to 1,000 people. Because we had so many people we had to change our plans. Instead of sticking to a schedule we did crafts throughout the day, had the speakers sitting in the public gallery talking about fossils throughout the day, and had the movie playing continuously. With events like this you have to remain open to changing things if they are not working. And now we know what to expect for the next Family Fun Day. Or do we? I mean honestly. Will the next one be as big as the first one? Will word of mouth make it even bigger? Or was this a one-time deal? There are so many factors to consider and so many questions to ask. You can guarantee that we will be meeting about Saturday and discussing what worked, what didn't, what sold, what didn't, what we had to change and what will make next time better.
Even with the stress of time-constraints and more people than we expected, both the opening and family day have one major thing in common: families. In with families I will throw in groups. These families and groups all came in together and helped each other learn. Kids were so excited to see the dinosaurs and adults seem to be just as excited. I loved seeing parents helping their children learn. And vice versa. Sometimes the kids knew more than any of us and they were willing to share their knowledge. Honestly, what other subject matter can bring this out in families? Someone had told me they would bring their son because "he used to like dinosaurs" and he might enjoy it. I'm sorry, he still likes dinosaurs. He may have forgotten that he likes them but once he steps in the door his fascination will reawaken and his face will light up. There are those, I know, who will have something to say against dinosaurs but you have to admit that there is a mass-appeal. They are an over-sized mystery. Dinosaurs are all over pop-culture and can bring out the kid in just about anyone. We are very lucky to have this exhibit and I am so thankful that we could bring these amazing creatures to a small community where children don't get to travel much. To see the wonder and excitement on people's faces, both young and old, is one of the most rewarding aspects of working in a museum. *Curator Statement* Please remember, fossils are very fragile and the ropes are up for a reason. Watch your children and please set a good example by staying behind the ropes and keeping your hands to yourself. As I told one of my friends, you can touch with your eyes, not with your hands. Show respect for the hours and hard work put into this exhibit. But have fun!! There are plenty of things that you can touch and you'll know what they are, or ask for assistance!
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