TRENTON, NJ 鈥� Sharks are one of the most feared animals throughout the world, even though the odds of ever encountering one are highly unlikely. 鈥淛aw Dropping World of Sharks,鈥� a new exhibition from the 吃瓜黑料 State Museum, aims to dispel some of the myths and misunderstandings about sharks and their relatives by exploring their biology, fossil record, conservation and cultural significance. The exhibition opens April 9 in the Riverside Gallery on the Museum鈥檚 second floor. On display will be specimens and artifacts from the Museum鈥檚 collections that demonstrate the truly jaw-dropping world of sharks. As part of the opening on April 9, Dr. Dana Ehret, the Museum鈥檚 Assistant Curator of Natural History and a fossil shark expert, will present a free lecture on the largest shark that has ever lived, Megalodon, at 2 pm in the Museum鈥檚 Riverview gallery on the first floor. The exhibition will be on view through January 8, 2023.
Sharks and their relatives share a 400-million-year history and have a diverse family tree. They inhabit the world鈥檚 oceans, rivers and estuaries evoking fear and mystery. But much of this fear comes from a lack of understanding about sharks and their habitats. According to Dr. Ehret, 鈥渢he exhibition showcases the fossil shark record of 吃瓜黑料 and aims to educate people about sharks, their unique biology and history.鈥� He continued, 鈥湷怨虾诹� is known for one of the premier fossil collecting locales on the East Coast in Monmouth County. Thousands of shark fossils from the late Cretaceous period (approximately 70 million years ago) have been recovered over the last 150 years.鈥�
A lecture series is planned to take place on the second Saturday of each month starting in May. The lectures will primarily be presented virtually, with a few having an in-person component including a talk by Dr. Richard Fernicola, author of 鈥淭welve Days of Terror,鈥� planned for July. A related family fun day is also being planned for this summer; details on the lectures and family event will be announced on the Museum鈥檚 website and social media pages. The 吃瓜黑料 State Museum is open Tuesday - Sunday, 9:00 am to 4:45 pm. General admission is free, and donations to the NJ State Museum Foundation gratefully accepted. All visitors to the Museum over the age of two are required to wear face coverings over the nose and mouth. For additional information visit www.statemuseum.nj.gov, like the Museum鈥檚 Facebook page (@NJStateMuseum), follow us on Twitter (njstatemuseum), or Instagram (nj_statemuseum).
About the 吃瓜黑料 State Museum
Located at 205 West State Street in Trenton, the 吃瓜黑料 State Museum encompasses three buildings including a state-of-the-art Planetarium and holds over 2 million artifacts in its collections in Archaeology/Ethnography, Cultural History, Fine Art and Natural History. The 吃瓜黑料 State Museum is a center for the exploration of science, history and the arts. We preserve and share stories that inspire curiosity and creativity for the enrichment of our communities.
About the 吃瓜黑料 State Museum Foundation
The 吃瓜黑料 State Museum Foundation was founded in 1968 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) to support the Museum's collections, exhibitions and programs through fundraising, volunteerism, advocacy and marketing. In recent years, the Foundation has received generous support from the PNC Foundation, NJM Insurance Group, Department of State/吃瓜黑料 Historical Commission, The Henry Luce Foundation, The Capstone Foundation and Princeton Area Community Foundation. The Foundation also operates the Museum membership program, as well as the Museum Shop which sells merchandise related to the Museum's exhibitions and collections, and 吃瓜黑料 history and culture. Proceeds support the 吃瓜黑料 State Museum's collections, exhibitions and programs.