Chinese Ancient Animal Museum

The China Museum of paleontology is the only natural science museum in China, established by the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It takes fossil paleontology as the carrier and systematically popularizes the knowledge of paleontology, paleoecology, paleoanthropology and evolutionism. It is also the largest museum of Paleontology in Asia.

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Chinese Ancient Animal Museum

Located in Xicheng District, Beijing, China Museum of Paleontology (PMC) is the first National Natural Science Museum in China to systematically popularize the knowledge of paleontology, paleoecology, paleoanthropology and evolutionism based on paleontological fossils. It is also the largest museum of paleozoology in Asia. It is the National Youth Science and technology education base, the Beijing Youth education base, the popular science education base of the Chinese paleontological society and the ideological education base of the central government.

Among the precious exhibits on display in the China National Museum of paleozoology are the "living fossil" Latimer from Africa, the largest dinosaur in Asia, the Mamen river dragon, the "No.1 dragon in China", the Lufeng dragon Xu, the skeleton of the ancient animal Yellow River elephant included in Chinese primary school textbooks, and the simulation model of the mysterious "Peking Man" before its skull was lost. In December 1995, the China Paleozoological Museum was officially opened to the public.

Development history

In December 1995, the China Paleozoological Museum was officially opened to the public.

On August 3, 2010, the official website of China Paleozoological Museum was opened.

On January 22, 2011, the Museum of ancient animals launched its new exhibition of 2011, conquering the blue sky for 400 million years.

On February 12, 2015, vice premier Liu Yandong visited the China Paleozoological Museum.

On September 2, 2015, the new online panorama of China paleozoology museum was launched.

Venue composition

summary

According to the evolution sequence of paleofauna, the museum is divided into two pavilions (Paleovertebrate Museum and Shuhua paleoanthropology Museum) and four exhibition halls (paleofish and paleoamphibian exhibition hall, paleoreptile and paleobird exhibition hall, paleomammal exhibition hall, paleoanthropology and Paleolithic exhibition hall). Relying on more than 200000 specimens collected by the Institute in recent 100 years, more than 800 representative collections were exhibited. The exhibits include all kinds of fossil specimens and Paleolithic specimens and models from the Devonian period more than 400 million years ago to the prehistoric period more than 10000 years ago. They fully show the natural remains and remains of prehistoric animals and ancient humans, as well as the grand course of their life evolution.

The basic exhibition of China paleozoology Museum consists of four parts: Dinosaur World (electronic mechanical simulation), ancient fish Museum, ancient reptile Museum and mammal Museum. Through physical objects and other exhibition means, it systematically shows the origin and evolution history of prehistoric vertebrates, and shows the fossils of ancient vertebrates preserved in marine and terrestrial strata deposited in various periods in China and their application in this science Research results in this field. From fish like primitive anhydrans to bony fishes and cartilages, from amphibians to reptiles, from the unprecedented flourishing kingdom of dinosaurs to mammals, they began to dominate the world, until ancient apes evolved into Homo sapiens, and all kinds of fossils appeared in turn, clearly outlining the development of vertebrates.

Vertebrate Museum

The first revolution in vertebrate evolution was the emergence of the spine. With the support of vertebrae, animals are stronger, more flexible and more adaptable, laying the foundation for evolution in the next few hundred million years.

The exhibition of Vertebrate Paleontology Museum is a collection of vertebrate fossils collected by several generations of Chinese scientists who have been engaged in vertebrate paleontology for more than half a century.

Ancient fish exhibition area

In the exhibition area of ancient fish fossils, visitors can see fish fossils of various geological periods and evolution stages, including jawless species with helmets, primitive pelagic fishes, higher fish fossils, etc. It is also on display in the museum. It is the most complete preserved Latimer in China.

There are two major revolutions in vertebrate evolution: the emergence of jaw and landing. In the Paleozoic era, marine organisms developed into two major branches: one adapted to life in water and eventually evolved into today's fish; the other left the water and became today's quadruped (including amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals).

Exhibition area of ancient amphibians

About 360 million years ago, with the change of the earth's crust, the sea and the land, the total fin fish first climbed the land. They learned to breathe with their lungs, and their fins became strong limbs. They changed their name to "amphibious" and completed a great leap of landing vertebrates from water.

On display in the amphibian exhibition area are amphibian fossils discovered in China from more than 200 million years ago (Permian) to more than 10 million years ago (Cenozoic Miocene). Due to the fact that amphibians have more cartilage and live in humid environment, their corpses decay quickly after death, so it is difficult to preserve them as complete fossils. Therefore, the specimens on display in this museum are all treasures of amphibian fossils.

Exhibition area of ancient reptiles

There are various kinds of reptile fossils on display in the ancient reptile exhibition area, including Nanxiong turtle, the largest freshwater turtle fossils found in China, ancient crocodile fossils, marine reptiles known as Mesozoic sea monsters, Mesozoic air overlord pterosaurs, Mesozoic overlord dinosaurs, and mammal like mammals.

Exhibition area of ancient birds

China has become the country with the largest number of early bird fossils, and is the center for studying the origin and evolution of early birds in the world.

In the exhibition area of ancient birds, various bird fossils of various geological periods are displayed, including the earliest known bird with beak in the world, the most famous fossil bird besides Archaeopteryx, Confucius bird and other famous ancient bird fossils.

Special exhibition of Jehol Biota

"Jehol Biota" is called "the most amazing paleontological discovery in the 20th century" by the international paleontological community, but many people are not familiar with it. However, if we mention "feathered dinosaurs", "the world's earliest flowers", "dinosaur eating mammals", "dinosaurs with four wings", "the world's first pterosaur embryo" and so on.

The fossils of the Jehol biota are collected in various research institutions of the country, and it is difficult for ordinary audiences to see their true appearance. The "Jehol biota: the glory of life more than 100 million years ago" special exhibition was held in the China Museum of paleontology. Many important fossils were displayed, including the world's smallest dinosaur Microraptor with four wings, the earliest ancient bird with a beak, the Confucius bird, the mammal reptile eating dinosaurs, the reptile Manchurian alligator eating dinosaurs, and the world's first pterosaur embryo, which is the best preserved in the world The ancient bird embryo and other world-class precious specimens. Fish, shrimp, insects, frogs, turtles, pterosaurs, dinosaurs, all kinds of fossils. In addition, two sets of 3D animation of hairy dinosaurs that can interact with the audience are specially produced to reproduce the life of these mysterious species.

In the world academic journal Nature, two new pterosaurs in the Jehol biota, which were studied by Wang Xiaolin and Zhou Zhonghe, paleontologists of Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and two scholars of Brazilian Academy of Sciences, were published. Their wings spread up to 2.5 meters, which is the first discovery of the same pterosaurs outside the European continent in two centuries . One of the fossils is Yang's flying dragon.

 

Shuhua ancient human Museum

The history of human evolution is very long. After the emergence of hominids, including us, many species have evolved, such as Australopithecus africanus, Homo erectus and so on. However, in more than 200000 years ago, except one species Homo sapiens (a common name of all human beings on the earth today), other hominids have been extinct.

Shuhua ancient human museum was built and opened in 1999. Through the exhibition of ancient human fossils and Paleolithic specimens and models at home and abroad, it systematically popularizes the scientific knowledge of human origin and evolution, and shows the popular science theme of coexistence and common prosperity of human and nature. The contents include the skull of ape head in Beijing and the fossil specimen model of ancient human presented by foreign countries.

 

East Hall special exhibition hall

The East Hall is a new exhibition hall opened by the Museum of paleozoology, which holds special exhibitions or science popularization activities from time to time.

 

Exhibition hall of ancient mammals

Through the exhibition of a large number of mammal fossils, the exhibition hall shows how mammals have developed from a small and insignificant animal to a large family with various advantages on the earth after hundreds of millions of years of development.

 

Collection

Among the precious exhibits on display in the China Museum of paleozoology are the "living fossil" of Latimer fish, the largest dinosaur in China, the Mamen river dragon, the "first dragon in China", the Lufeng dragon Xu, and the skeleton of the Yellow River elephant, which has been included in primary school textbooks. In addition, the museum has added some rare exhibits, such as dinosaurs with hair, bird fossils such as Confucius bird, and the world's first pterosaur embryo, which have caused a sensation in the world.

Important events

On January 9, 2011, the Paleozoological Museum held a strategic seminar for 2011.

 

January 27, 2011

Chinese PinYin : Zhong Guo Gu Dong Wu Guan