Archive: Around Town

A life sized model of one of the largest flying creatures in Earth history officially is now on permanent display at the Museum of the Earth.  'Amelia' is a life-sized model of a 70 million year old Quetzalcoatlus northropi with a 36-foot wingspan.  It has been relocated to Ithaca from its original home at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.. The Quetzalcoatlus's new name 'Amelia' was unveiled at a press conference Weddnesday.  PRI Marketing and Communications Manager Marissa Zuckerman says the name appropriately commemorates the iconic aviator Amelia Earhart. 

"We chose the name to honor an iconic figure who created a lasting legacy of soaring the skies with pride," Zuckerman said.  "Amelia is only fitting for our Quetzalcoatlus and will help establish her own legacy here at PRI."


PRI held a competition to name the model, which yielded over 100 entries.  Staff members voted on the top 10 entries, and the name was chosen by a panel of staff and community members.  PRI intern Mikaela Fundaun and Ithaca resident Jennifer Kay both submitted the winning name.

Director of Exhibitions Beth Stricker says the Quetzalcoatlus and a collection of other models and dioramas were permanently transferred to the museum from their original home at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

Designed and fabricated by Smithsonian staff artisans between 1979 and 1982, Amelia is crafted of fiberglass, a balsa wood framework, metal and fur.  The model is based on a 70 million year old partial skeleton was discovered in Big Bend National Park in Texas. 

Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) Director Warren D. Allmon said that the Quetzalcoatlus is one of the largest animals ever to fly.  It was a reptile that takes its name from the Mesoamerican god Quetzalcoatl, portrayed as a feathered serpent.

"Paleontologists still actively wonder how it is that something like this could fly," Allmon said .  "And how it could land and how it could take off?  This was the first one of these super-sized pterosaurs ever discovered, but now we know there were half a dozen different kinds of them scattered around the world.  That just makes it even more mind boggling."

About four years ago the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History identified items they did not plan to display in their planned renovation of the museum's fossil halls.  The Smithsonian paleontologists wanted to find a good home for these items.  The Museum of the Earth was an obvious choice.

"They were all historic works of paleo art," said Allmon.  "Some of these objects were classic, appearing in textbooks for many decades.  Because PRI has a lot of friends and a great reputation at the Smithsonian, they contacted us and asked if we would be interested in taking some of these objects."


About 14 months ago three large trucks arrived with the sculptures and panoramas.  Because the Quetzalcoatlus and Stegosaurus sculptures are so large they each arrived in three pieces.  The Stegosaurus was the first to go on display after being pieced together and lovingly restored by PRI artisans. 

The Quetzalcoatlus body and each wing arrived in separate crates that were stored while the stegosaurus exhibit was prepared.  Last October the head and torso were displayed a temporary exhibit, and this Spring the staff made it a priority to restore the whole model and put it on permanent display.  They spent about ten days in June laying out the pieces, reattaching the wings and hanging it from the ceiling.


"Installing the Stegosaurus and Quetzalcoatlus in our permanent exhibits gallery has made a tremendous difference and we are looking forward to incorporating the rest of the pieces in the coming months," Stricker said. 

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