Take a Tour With Me: First Impressions of the Quinte Museum of Natural History

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Written by: Gavin Lessard

The Quinte Museum is proud to be able to welcome a number of local co-op students to our team each year. These students assist us with online content creation, exhibit interpretation, and general operational duties. Most importantly, though, they bring fresh perspectives to our organization. When co-op student Gavin joined the team only a few weeks ago, he had never set foot in the museum before. This presented us with a rare and wonderful opportunity – to gather his authentic first impressions of the space. Keep reading to find out what Gavin has to say about his first visit to QMNH!

Hello! I’m Gavin, a new co-op student completing my placement at the Quinte Museum of Natural History. Since I have the perspective of a new visitor, I decided to use my blog post as a sort of “first impression” diary. I have compiled my initial reactions to the museum’s current exhibits, as well as included several photos taken during my tour of the space. I hope you enjoy my thoughts.

Fossilized Quinte: The Fossils of the Bay of Quinte Area

First thought: this is the only exhibit in the museum that you can touch! I appreciated the flashlights and magnifying glasses provided to help visitors get a better look. I found it very interesting to explore the diverse range of local fossils on display, as I had previously never really thought of Quinte as having much in the way of fossils. I was surprised by the number of different specimens that can commonly be found in this area.

Another absolutely mind-blowing fact that I discovered in this exhibit is that this entire region used to be at the bottom of an ancient sea. This explains the array of fossilized aquatic creatures shown on the touch table.

Lights, Camera, Action: Tyrannosaurs in Film

The next exhibit currently on display was created using fan-favourite specimens from last year’s dinosaur exhibit. This year, the focus has shifted to T.rex in popular media. The exhibit shines a light on three particular examples of dinosaurs in film; The Ghost of Slumber Mountain (1918), The Land Before Time (1988), and Jurassic Park (1993). Before visiting the museum, I had only known about the last two examples.

My favourite fun fact from this exhibit is that juvenile T.rex reach a rapid growth spurt in their teenage years. This is when they catch up to the massive size of their mature parents. I think it’s funny that they keep their small arms, though!

Diving Deep: A Tale of Whales Through Time

The third and final exhibit at the museum led me through the evolutionary timeline of whales from their earliest ancestors to the modern animals we know today. Like most visitors, I was surprised by how tiny the ancient whale specimens were in comparison to the various modern species. I found it especially interesting to think about how the massive, fully aquatic whales of the present day came from such tiny, four-legged creatures like Indohyus. I also found it quite entertaining to compare Indohyus to the size of a domestic dog or cat. Without prior knowledge, I think it would be difficult to guess that these curious-looking animals are actually whales, but I guess that’s exactly what makes evolution so fascinating!

This exhibit is divided between two rooms, allowing for an impressive reveal of large modern specimens as you round the corner out of the ancient whale section. I think my favourite of the modern whales has to be the narwhal. When I was younger, unicorns were one of my absolute favourite fantasy creatures, and knowing that they somewhat resemble a real aquatic species is really interesting to me.

To summarize my overall first impression of the Quinte Museum, I would say that it is awesome! Every part of the exhibits is interesting and engaging, with lots of information to soak up and plenty of specimens to discover, whether they be from the local region or from far off ecosystems. I continue to be amazed by the fascinating displays around me everyday.

The most common complaint received by visitors to the museum is that the space is very small, which is absolutely true. After exploring the exhibits and learning so many new things, I will say that I think the space is being used to the fullest. Museum staff cannot control the size of the building, but they have found a way to fill every corner with something educational, entertaining, or appealing.

With all of that, I would highly recommend visiting QMNH. I am having fun learning everyday and I am excited to see what the rest of my co-op placement holds. Thanks for reading!