Dragons: Between Science and Fiction
Posted by: Loren Coleman on May 30th, 2008
Opening at the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmondton, Canada, from June 14 through September 14, 2008, is the exciting “Dragons: Between Science and Fiction.” The program will be bursting through the doors of the Royal Alberta Museum’s newly renovated Feature Gallery, and includes a traveling worldwide exhibition, presentations, children’s activities, a new play, and the screening of dragon documentaries and movies.
Hailing originally from France with a recent visit to the Musée de la civilisation, in Quebec City, the exhibition, both in English and French, has now come to the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmondton.
The exhibition explores the many myths and peculiarities associated with the dragon’s powerful persona, including how fossils fuelled dragon myths, the magical powers of dragons and how different cultures have imagined dragons over the centuries. More than 200 artifacts representing dozens of museums and private collections from around the world tell the tale of dragons from science to fiction and everything in between.
The list of topics from the guest lecturers includes several of interest to cryptozoology. The talks are given on Sundays, July 6 to September 7, 2008. Doors open at 1:30 pm. Presentations begin at 2 pm, with Q & A to follow.
“Here Be Dragons” is the title for the series of hot, new, family-friendly presentations. The talks are:
• The Role and Symbolism of Dragons in the Harry Potter Series ~ July 6 • Edmund Kern
• Komodo Island: Where there be Dragons ~ July 13 • Bob Johnson
• Dragons and Cryptozoology ~ July 20 • Loren Coleman
• Dragons and Other Mythical Beasts in Asian Cultures ~ July 27 • Paula Swart
• Everybody Wants – and Needs – a Dragon ~ August 3 • Joe Nigg
• Painting Dragons in their Natural Habitat ~ August 10 • William Stout
• Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science ~ August 17 • Jeff Meldrum
• Evolution and Extinction of the Dragon ~ August 24 • Peter Hogarth
• On The Track of Mokele-mbembe – Africa’s Living Dinosaur ~ August 31 • William Gibbons
• Backyard Dragons ~ September 7 • John Acorn
All activities are free with regular admission to the Museum, unless otherwise noted.
For more detailed information, see the Museum website here.
This post was written by
Loren Coleman no longer writes for Cryptomundo. His archived posts remain here at Cryptomundo.
“The Role and Symbolism of Dragons in the Harry Potter Series ~ July 6 • Edmund Kern”
Personally I don’t agree with having a lecture about Dragons in Harry Potter, but then again I’m just tired of all the sensationalism associated with Harry Potter. The books are actually quite mediocre in retrospect.
Anywho sounds like an interesting exhibit. I’ll have to see if it comes to my area.
Good Luck with your segment.
Not to begrudge any appearances by Dr. Meldrum, but what’s his Sasquatch lecture doing in there? Seems wildly out of place.
You’ll have to talk about Alberta’s own dragon when your here.
“Monster `Breathes Fire,’ Scares Boys In River at Rocky Mountain House” Edmonton Journal July 24, 1942: p. 1
I’ll get my scanner working and psst the article.
Dragons are Mentioned in The Bible they are referred to as the Behemoth
With respect to the comment about Dr Meldrum’s Sasquatch lecture seeming wildly out of place at the Royal Alberta Museum, perhaps some context is necessary. The lecture series accompanying the Dragons exhibition is fully titled “Here be Dragons…and other creatures,” so with that in mind perhaps Sasquatch isn’t inappropriate. And is in fact a great addition to the series, given the appeal and popularity of Sasquatch or Bigfoot.