BE ADVISED: On Thursday, October 17 our museums will participate in a brief earthquake drill. Guests will hear an overhead announcement, but are not required to participate, nor will the building be evacuated. Please plan your visit accordingly or contact us at info@nhm.org or 213.763.DINO if you have any questions or would like to reschedule your visit.

BE ADVISED: On Saturday 10/19, the museum will close at 2 PM in preparation for a large event, with some areas closed to the public starting at noon. Boney Island at NHM will be open to the public at 7PM. Please plan your visit accordingly. For more information or to reschedule your visit, email info@nhm.org or call 213.763.DINO.

L.A. Underwater & Paleoart

Envision prehistoric marine life through paleontology and art.

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A paleoart rendition of Eupachydiscus sp. by Cullen Townsend.

What is Paleoart?

Have you ever wondered how our vision of prehistoric life came to be? You may be surprised to learn how connected science and art are in terms of shaping our understanding of prehistoric life—so much so that there is an entire genre of art dedicated to creating a prehistoric world from fragments of fossil clues.

Paleoart is not just guesswork. Sometimes it involves complex 3-D modeling and ideas from many scientists. However, anyone can learn the basics and express their creativity through fossil-inspired art!

In this workbook, we will take a look at two fossils featured in the exhibition L.A. Underwater and explore the process of bringing these extinct animals “to life” through paleoart.

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