MUSEUM ZOO OPENS AT QUEENSLAND MUSEUM SOUTH BANK

A unique and very different kind of zoo is the major attraction this summer at Queensland Museum South Bank.

Arts Minister, Rod Welford, said Museum Zoo: Animals, Size and Me was a captivating exhibition for the whole family, featuring over 700 animal specimens sourced from the Museum’s world-class Biodiversity Collection.

“This is a wonderful exhibition, opening in time for the school holidays, which explores the relationship between the many creatures of the animal kingdom and the way they have evolved over time,” Mr Welford said.

“While it offers families an entertaining and engaging way to spend time together, it also presents an important message about the critical environmental issues facing us now and in the future.

“The exhibition looks at creatures big and small and from both the past and present, and the effect size can have on survival.

“There are plenty of opportunities for visitors to compare themselves to the many animals on display, as they learn fascinating facts about speed, wing-span, weight and height.

“The impact of these attributes on success and survival – and their comparison with humans – can also be explored by visitors through a range of interactive activities.”

A dramatic Animal Parade is the focal point of the exhibition, presenting a vast collection of animals that could never be seen up close or side by side in the natural world.

It includes rarely seen animals include the world’s largest and most elaborately plumed pigeon, a Red Panda, a ‘winged’ fish, and a pangolin (a mammal found in Asia and Africa).

“Some of the Museum’s most valuable research specimens - including a Gidgee skink, the Giant Robberfly and a Royal Penguin - will be on display for a few months only, before being returned to the laboratory for conservation purposes,” Mr Welford said.

“A ‘Great Wall’, over 45 metres long and nearly 6 metres high, illustrates some of the biggest animals that have ever lived, including a Blue Whale, the Giant White Shark, a Tyrannosaurus rex and a Giant Squid.”

The exhibition runs for the next twelve months and entry is free.

Media contact: Marnie Stitz on 3237 1000 or 0419 734 985