The Burke Museum Blog

Seattle PI Readers "Ask the Burke"

2009-12-23T09:01:00.000-08:00

The SeattlePI.com recently began a new online column on their popular Big Blog called “Ask the Burke.” The column is modeled after the successful “Ask MOHAI,” in which questions about local history are answered by experts at the Museum of History and Industry. Ask the Burke addresses common questions about the natural or cultural history of this region. I think the column is an exciting way to use local media to share the wealth of knowledge of local cultural institutions.

The most recent installment of Ask the Burke posed the question “What is the most abundant fish in Puget Sound?” So what is the answer? Curator of fishes Ted Pietsch’s response might surprise you!

(hint: it's not salmon!)

Do you have questions you’d like to ask the Burke? Leave a comment on this blog post!

Paleontology meets art

2009-12-17T11:07:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, we posted this video showcasing Ray Troll’s artistic process as he prepared for the new Burke exhibit, Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway, which opens this Saturday. Ray collaborated with Kirk Johnson, curator of paleontology at the Denver National History Museum, and the staff at the Burke, to organize this exhibit about evolution, extinction, and early life on Earth. In the video about Ray, he discusses how science influences his art, so it seemed fitting to get Kirk’s perspective, as a scientist, on why art and science are complementary. He has some interesting points about how this collaboration helps us all understand the past. Take a look:

The video was filmed this summer during a road trip Ray and Kirk took around Washington, exploring the fossilized prehistory of this state. To view other videos of their trip as well as Ray Troll’s discussion of science and art, click here.

See for yourself how science and art influence each other at the opening day of Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway this Saturday. Tours of the exhibit will start at 10:30 and happen on the hour throughout the day.

Posted by: Andrea Barber, Communications

Ainu delegates visit Burke for cultural exchange

2009-12-15T16:45:00.000-08:00

This week, the Burke Museum welcomed a delegation of 10 members of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido for the first of three visits between Japan and the Pacific Northwest that will take place over the next 9 months as part of an exciting project called “Carrying Traditions Across the Waters of Time: Ainu and Pacific Northwest Cultural Collaborations.”

The central focus of this cultural exchange project is the shared efforts between indigenous people in Japan and the Pacific Northwest to revive ancient relationships to the sea and the canoe. The participants include members of the Suquamish, Duwamish, Tulalip, Makah, and Squaxin Island tribes of Washington State and the Hokkaido Ainu Association of Japan. Together, the participants will share cultural knowledge, broaden public awareness of environmental and social issues faced globally by Native peoples, and gain insight into museum practices in a tribal or inter-tribal setting.

This week’s visit by the Ainu delegation, whose 10 members range in age from 19 to 70 years old, marks the first time all of the participants in this cultural exchange have meet one another. The Ainu delegation will spend the week visiting tribal museums and cultural centers of the 5 partnering tribes from Washington. In March 2010, a group of representatives from the Pacific Northwest will travel to Japan to make similar visits to Ainu museums and cultural centers. Then, in July 2010, the Ainu delegation will return to Washington to participate in an annual tribal canoe journey, hosted by the Makah Tribe in Neah Bay.

Over the next 9 months, the Burke Blog will record the progress of the Ainu and Pacific Northwest Cultural Collaboration, but for the most current updates, follow the project on Facebook.

Photos: Visiting delegates from the Ainu Association of Hokkaido visited the Burke Museum on Monday morning for a welcome breakfast and a tour of the museum.

Burke curator studies new species from Antarctica

2009-12-11T11:59:00.000-08:00

A new species that is a distant relative of mammals has been identified by Christian A. Sidor, Burke Museum curator of vertebrate paleontology, along with Jörg Fröbisch and Kenneth D. Angielczyk of the Field Museum. Kombuisia antarctica, a plant eater about the size of housecat, is part of a group of extinct mammal relatives called anomodonts. The Kombuisia antarctica’s name is tribute to where the pre-mammal lived, and by inhabiting Antarctica, the species was able to survive one of the most treacherous times on Earth.

The illustration shows the geographic location of Kombuisia antarctica in Antarctica with a reconstruction of how the animal probably looked like in life. (Credit: Jörg Fröbisch, Kenneth D. Angielczyk, and Christian A. Sidor)

About 252 million years ago, at the end of the Permian Period, the world went through the largest known mass extinction in history. Scientists are debating what exactly caused the mass extinction to occur, but one of the likely causes is global warming as a result of major volcanic activity in Siberia. During this tumultuous time for the Earth’s living creatures, Antarctica was actually one of the safest places to be.

It may seem odd to think of Antarctica as a good place to live, but during the Permian Period, the continent was vastly different from the way it is today. The continent was further north, and therefore was warmer and did not have glaciers.

Although Antarctica may have been an inhabitable place for Kombuisia antarctica millions of years ago, scientists today face extreme weather conditions. However, scientific findings and discoveries like Kombuisia antarctica are well worth the expeditions. Sidor’s discovery fills gaps in the fossil record and gives us a better understanding of vertebrate survival throughout Earth’s history.

To learn more about Kombuisia antarctica, click here.

Posted By: Andrea Barber, Communications

Projectile point found on UW campus

2009-12-09T11:30:00.000-08:00

This week, the Burke released a press release about a stone projectile point found buried in the ground near the UW Botany Greenhouse last month. The point (pictured at right) was found by a UW freshmen, who uncovered it while working on a small garden near the greenhouse, and was brought to the Burke Museum for identification and analysis.

Archaeology staff at the Burke estimate the point is at least 4,000 years old, and may be up to 7,000 years old. The discovery of the point is consistent with other archaeological data from around campus that show that Native American people lived on what are now the grounds of the Univeristy of Washington. An "Indian Trail," documented by maps from the Historic General Land Office (below), at one point bisected the UW campus area, and ran not far from where the projectile point was found.

(click to enlarge image)

While other archaeological materials have been discovered on and around the UW campus, this is the first find in many years. Modern archaeological practices require diligence when recording and documenting archaeological sites, so the information gathered about this site is much more specific and useful to understanding the history of the landscape on which the UW is built than other finds have been. Burke director Julie Stein, an archaeologist herself, pointed out that other artifacts from around campus have a very vague provenance, such as "near the fountain." The University has now promised to survey that area and other parts of campus with pending construction projects for other potential sites.

The student who found the point, and the greenhouse staff who advised her, were definitely right to contact the professional archaeologists at the Burke Museum. It is illegal to knowingly disturb an archaeological site, and if you think you have found something, the archaeology department here can advise you how to handle the situation.

The Science of Art

2009-12-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

If you read our blog regularly or follow the Burke Museum in the news, you most likely have heard about our upcoming exhibit, Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway. The exhibit, opening on December 19th, features the collaboration of paleontology and art and includes fossils from the Burke’s collections that will be on public view for the first time. Intriguingly familiar, artist Ray Troll and paleontologist Kirk Johnson see the past as a continuous process that shapes the world today.

For a sneak peek at some of Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway’s artwork, and to hear Ray Troll’s comments about his artistic process throughout the exhibit’s development, watch the video below.

There are also several other videos of Kirk Johnson and Ray Troll as they explore the prehistoric past of Washington State. To view them, click here.

Stay tuned to our blog for more previews and information on our newest exhibit, and don’t forget to come see it for yourself!

Posted By: Andrea Barber, Communications

How can a museum reduce its environmental impact?

2009-12-02T11:54:00.000-08:00

How can a museum reduce its environmental impact? Several hundred people – visitors, staff members, students, and volunteers – come in and out of the Burke Museum every day. Waste is produced, supplies are used, and energy is consumed by nearly all of these people. The Burke Sustainability Action Committee (BSAC) has been working on a list of “Environmental Sustainability Best Practices” to help guide the actions of the museum community and of the individuals who make up that community.

We are by no means the first museum to craft such a list of best practices. Our committee has been admiring the work of the Seattle Art Museum, whose SAM Goes Green initiative has supported sustainability efforts at all three of their museum sites. There are also countless resources out there offering tips for “going green,” but what the BSAC has discovered is that it’s important to identify best practices that are very specific to the needs of our museum.

For example, it’s easy to state that everyone should compost, but in practice, there are unique challenges to working in a museum that must be considered when setting up compost stations. A museum must protect and care for objects in its collection, and the Burke Museum is very careful not to attract pests or insects that could be harmful to those objects. Compost has the potential to attract pests, so we cannot set up composting stations for our staff or visitors in any location that might pose a threat to our collections. All compostable materials must be taken to an outside receptacle (pictured) or to a bin in the Burke Café. Therefore, in our best practices document, we have to adjust for this restriction and find ways to encourage building users to compost, even when it’s not convenient.

My hope is that once complete, the Environmental Sustainability Best Practices list will serve as a useful tool for museum users who are looking for simple ways to make their interactions with the museum building more sustainable.

Posted by: Julia Swan, Communications (and BSAC member)

This post is part of a Burke Museum Blog series called "Green Museum" that explores what sustainability means to the Burke Museum.

Exhibits closing this weekend!

2009-11-25T12:58:00.000-08:00

If you have not yet seen the exhibit Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition: Indigenous Voices Reply, this Thanksgiving weekend is your last chance. Closing this Sunday, November 29, this exhibit juxtaposes historic objects and photographs from the 1909 world's fair with contemporary artwork by Native artists to explore how the representation and understanding of indigenous people and cultures has changed or not changed over 100 years. A visit to A-Y-P: Indigenous Voices Reply this weekend is also an excellent way to observe Native American Heritage Day, which is this Friday, November 27.

To learn more about President Obama’s proclamation of Native American Heritage day, click here. The Seattle Convention and Visitor’s Bureau has also compiled a guide to Seattle Native American Heritage if you’re looking for additional ways to observe Native American Heritage Day.

P.S. Wondrous Cold: An Antarctic Journey also closes on Sunday!

Photo: Poisoned, by Phillip John Charette (Yup’ik), 2008, clay, paper, and mixed media. On view in A-Y-P: Indigenous Voices Reply, May 30 – November 29, Burke Museum, Seattle.

Posted by: Andrea Barber, Communications

Water: don't take it for granted!

2009-11-19T10:20:00.000-08:00

At the Burke Museum, we are constantly reminded about the wonders of our planet and its peoples. Part of my job that I love is being able to see the awesome things in our collections and our galleries and learn more about them. I think it’s important that an institution like the Burke, which is devoted to life in all its forms, takes a stand to help preserve the world as we know it for ourselves and future generations. It was with that in mind that I volunteered for the Burke Sustainability Action Committee, because there is always more to do than has been done.

One of the first projects that this committee was able to complete was to install a series of signs around the museum (specifically near the drinking fountains and in the bathrooms) educating visitors about water usage. We learned some interesting things about water, including:

Nearly all of the Earth’s water is salty or trapped as ice, leaving less than 1% available as freshwater for all living things, including humans.
If all of the Earth’s water fit into a two-liter bottle, the amount of freshwater would only add up to a tablespoon!
Even though the United States has some of the cleanest drinking water in the world, Americans drink twice as much bottled water as they did a decade ago.
Over 80% of plastic water bottles end up in landfills.
A gallon of tap water costs 1,900 times less than a gallon of bottled water!

Most interesting to me has been discovering the origin of our water here in Seattle: the Cedar River Watershed (pictured below).

What has the Burke Museum done to conserve water? We’ve made some small changes like adding aerators to bathroom faucets and providing a pitcher of good tap water for meetings instead of bottled water. We also have an ethnobotanical garden in front of the museum, full of native plants, which typically require less water than non-native plants to thrive. I'm looking forward to figuring out what else the museum can do to conserve water!

Posted by: Sarah Tollefson, Facilities

Twilight series thrusts Quileute Tribe into spotlight

2009-11-16T13:54:00.000-08:00

Most people out there, whether they want to be or not, are probably vaguely aware that the second movie installment of the Twilight saga, New Moon, opens soon. Those who live in Washington State may also know that the books and movies of the Twilight series take place in Forks, Washington, which is a real town on the Olympic Peninsula. And those who are familiar with the story know that in addition to sparkly, romantically-inclined vampires, the Twilight books also feature a band of werewolves as primary characters (as seen in the promotional poster to the right). And in the story, those werewolves are all members of the Quileute Tribe, a real culture whose reservation is located in the small coastal town of La Push, which isn’t far from Forks.

Having now been made famous by the on-going, pop-culture phenomenon that is the Twilight series, the Quileute have found themselves thrust in the global spotlight as their reservation has become a tourist destination for thousands of middle-school age girls and their families who may or may not be on the lookout for actual werewolves. In response to their instant popularity, the Quileute seek to inform potential visitors to Forks and La Push about their culture and about the misrepresentation of them as werewolves.

So what does the Burke Museum have to do with any of this? As a museum of cultural heritage, we encourage respect for and understanding of all living cultures in the Pacific Northwest, such as the Quileute. Our curator of Native American ethnology, Deana Dartt-Newton, has therefore partnered with the Quileute Tribe and the Seattle Art Museum to develop several educational tools to inform Twilight fans about the real Quileute culture – a culture that indeed has a wolf origin story, a historic relationship with the wolf as demonstrated in songs, stories, and various art forms, but whose people most certainly do not transform into werewolves even on an occasional basis.

Stay tuned for more details about these projects, but in the meantime, Deana has excitedly reported that Summit Entertainment is flying the Quileute Tribal Council out to Los Angeles for tonight’s New Moon premiere. Let’s hope they enjoy the show!

Meet the Caribou

2009-11-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

It's fall again, and during this time of the year at the Burke, mammals are on our minds. That's because this Saturday is the annual family day, Meet the Mammals. Bring the family and get face-to-face with mammal skulls, touch the fur of big cats and assemble whale vertebrae while talking to Burke mammalogy experts. One Washington State mammal that I personally can't wait to meet is the caribou.

Woodland Caribou, or Rangifer tarandus, are even-toed hoofed mammals (or ungulates) that inhabit North America, Northern Europe and Asia. The Selkirk Herd, found in the north-eastern corner of Washington State, is a herd of roughly 30 members. Caribou are social herding animals that live in groups of no less than 10 and sometimes as large as tens of thousands when congregating at summer feeding grounds.

Caribou are migratory animals that travel over 3,100 miles per year. During these migrations, caribou traverse over all kinds of terrain, and have many adaptations to handle extreme weather conditions. During the winter, caribou have 18,000 hairs per square inch on their bodies that are hollow in order to help insulate the animals in subzero temperatures. The hairs are also hollow, making caribou more buoyant while crossing bodies of water. They are the fastest swimmers of all ungulates, with broad, paddle-like hooves, and can reach speeds of up to 6 mph in the water.

Photo of Woodland Caribou, Rangifer tarandus

Caribou are also the only members of the deer family in which both males and females have antlers; males have larger antlers that can weigh up to 33 pounds! Rutting season is from late August - October. During this time, males will compete for females by sparing, bashing their antlers together and head-butting over mates. Once rutting season is over, males will lose their antlers in the winter and will begin re-growing their antlers once again.

Every mammal has its own story and the Burke’s mammalogy experts are eager to share these stories at Meet the Mammals this weekend. It’s an exciting event with the chance to get up close and personal with mammals of all shapes and sizes—hoofed or not!

Burke visitors touch and examine porpoise skulls at last year's Meet the Mammals

Posted By: Andrea Barber, Communications.

New storage compactors arrive!

2009-11-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

This week, the back rooms of the Burke Museum are filled with the sounds of drilling, hammering, and other cacophonous noises associated with a construction project. But it's with great excitement that we allow these sounds to flood our offices because it means the museum is finally moving forward with the installation of brand new storage compactors that will help keep our ethnology collections safe from potential earthquake damage and long-term degradation due to light and dust. The new storage compactors, which are being installed over the next two weeks, will also make much more efficient use of our very limited space than the open shelving units that were previously being used.

The ethnology collections staff has been hard at work preparing for this and has been documentating the process:

Photos: (top) The space where Native American art curator Robin Wright stands is typically filled with objects, but room has been cleared for the new compactors. (middle) Working on the installation of the compactors. (bottom) The new storage compacters are installed on tracks so they can roll open and closed as need.

Once the work is done in ethnology, the same process will happen in the geology collection space. Read more about the entire project here.

Posted by: Julia Swan, Communications

1,000 Sugar Skulls Made for Dia de Muertos

2009-11-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

What can you find when walking through the hallways of the Burke Museum? Many exciting and interesting projects! Community involvement is a very important part of our work here at the Burke, and last week many dedicated staff, students and volunteers came together to create 1,000 sugar skulls for the Burke’s table at the Dia de Muertos Festál at Seattle Center last weekend. Isaac Hernández Ruiz led the group through the sticky process, as sugar and meringue were mixed and molded to make the skulls.

Burke educators then took the skulls to the Dia de Muertos: a Mexican Remembrance event at the Seattle Center where hundreds of people decorated the skulls to take home. Celebrating life through death, Dia de Muertos or “Day of the Dead” honors loved ones who have passed away through community alters, dancing, music and much more. The sugar skulls were accompanied by Mexican heritage performances and crafts at the Seattle Center House.

Learn more about Dia de Muertos on the Burke’s special interactive educational Web site all about the holiday.

Photos: The creative process of making sugar skulls for the event.
Posted By: Andrea Barber, Communications

Tribal leaders to meet with Obama for summit

2009-11-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

On Nov. 5, a number of Washington State tribal leaders will join other representatives of 562 federally recognized tribes from across the country who have been invited to meet with President Obama for the 1st Annual White House Tribal Nations Conference. The purpose of the conference is to facilitate interactive discussions between Obama Administration officials and tribal leaders in the areas of economic development and natural resources, public safety and housing, and education, health and labor. A schedule and a live video feed of the summit can be found here.

Just a few days ago, President Obama signed an official proclamation designating November 2009 as National Native American Heritage Month and November 27, 2009 as the first ever Native American Heritage Day. Obama’s proclamation called upon all Americans to “commemorate this month with appropriate programs and activities.” You can read the entire proclamation here.

I asked Deana Dartt-Newton, curator of Native American ethnology and a member of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation, what she thought about the proclamation and tomorrow’s summit. Says Deana:

"Not only did Obama acknowledge Tribal concerns during his candidacy, but he's demonstrating in these first months as President, that he aims to prioritize the Nation to Nation relationship and address issues most important to Native people. Obama's October 30th official proclamation of November as Native American Heritage Month, and Nov. 27th as Native American Day might have been viewed as a token gesture, had he not already scheduled a Tribal Summit to hear from representatives from the 562 federally recognized Tribes this Thursday, Nov 5. For the first time in my life, I feel like the leadership of this country is listening to us."

If you’re looking for ways to observe Native American Heritage Month, the Seattle Convention and Visitor’s Bureau has put together a useful guide to Seattle’s Native American Heritage here. We also suggest visiting our current exhibit, on view through Nov. 29, Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition: Indigenous Voices Reply, or coming to hear Little Big Band, Swil Kanim, Gene Tagaban (pictured) and other First Native musicians at a lively concert on campus called Tribute to the Spirit on Nov. 20.

Posted by: Julia Swan, Communications

Why does Hollywood Love the Ice Age?

2009-10-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

Why is the ice age such a popular topic for Hollywood? The ice age (or Pleistocene period, from 2.7 million years ago to 10,000 years ago) is a period of great interest to archaeologists because of the numerous watershed events in human evolution that occurred before the ice melted and the climate became more-or-less what it’s like today. For most parts of the world, the ice age is also the time of the classic cave-dwelling humans. Film-makers have also shown their enthusiasm for this lengthy and cool period of human history. Right from the earliest days of motion pictures, depicting human life during the ice age has been a favorite topic for films. For example, in 1914 the pioneering American director D. W. Griffith released the 33 minute silent film In Prehistoric Days and Charlie Chaplin released his 10 minute silent film His Prehistoric Past. In the following year, Willis O’Brien released one of the first ever stop-motion animated films, a six minute comedy called The Dinosaur and the Missing Link: a Prehistoric Tragedy.

Charlie Chaplin's His Prehistoric Past. To watch the rest of the film, click here.

Since these early days, cave men and women have been an almost constant feature in film. Notable more recent productions include Caveman (1981) starring The Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr, Quest for Fire (1981) including Ron Perlman and a special prehistoric language invented by Anthony Burgess, Clan of the Cave Bear (1986) based on the prehistoric fiction novel by Jean M. Auel, the animated Ice Age (2002) which recently had a third installment in the series released and a prehistoric-Woody-Allen-style comedy National Lampoon’s Homo erectus (2007).

As an archaeologist and teacher of a class that looks at archaeology in film, I often wonder why films are so frequently made about people in the ice age. Many details of these depictions are impressively accurate, such as clothing, stone artifact technology, social organization and subsidence. This is testimony to the both the dedication of the film-makers and the effectiveness of archaeologists’ efforts to communicate with the public. My thought about why the ice age is so popular in films is that through the depiction of cave people film-makers can explore ideas on contemporary cultural issues like technological change and racism that might be too confronting to directly depict. Watching the story of ice age people is like holding a mirror to ourselves at a safe distance, allowing for reflection on our contemporary human condition without the discomfort that sometimes interferes with more direct self-examination.

Willis O'Brien's film The Dinosaur and the Missing Link: a Prehistoric Tragedy. To view the rest of the film, click here.

Posted by: Dr. Ben Marwick, Assistant Professor, UW Department of Anthropology

Dr. Ben Marwick spoke at the Burke Museum’s Ice Age Archaeology event in his lecture Reel vs. Real: Prehistoric Archaeology and Ice Age Movies on Oct. 18.

Why sustainability? Why now?

2009-10-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

This post is part of a Burke Museum Blog series called "Green Museum" that explores what sustainability means to the Burke Museum.

As a founding member of the Burke Sustainability Action Committee (BSAC), I was asked to answer the basic question, why did you join the committee?

Lots of reasons:

· To feel we’re making a difference
· To know we’re making a difference
· To work with people in the museum I don’t usually work with
· To learn about on-the-ground actions we can take – and then take them
· To have fun. (I’m still surprised by this: this is actually fun work!)

As the BSAC committee figures out signage for the museum to educate visitors about the resources being used around them (e.g. did you know that drinking water in Seattle began as snow or rain in the Cascade Mountains?) or a best practices document for staff (i.e. how should museum staff approach issues of transportation, waste management, or material selection to function as sustainably as possible?) and this has clearly been a learn-as-we-go, step-by-step process.

One of the BSAC's first projects was to create and install several signs around the museum, such as this one, that inspire visitors to think about their relationship with the natural world.

Fortunately, museums all over the world are embracing new opportunities to make their operations and programs environmentally friendly. One local source of inspiration for us has been the Seattle Art Museum and its SAM Goes Green program.

From local, organic catering to native plants in landscaping, SAM and other museums are making sure these public spaces speak on many levels about how to live and work sustainably. The Burke is part of the big picture, and we have things to be proud of. We also have a lot of thinking, talking, listening, planning, and actions ahead of us.

Let’s do this.

Posted by: Tim Stetter, Education

Dinosaurs at the Burke

2009-10-23T13:11:00.000-07:00

Have a passion for dinosaurs? Then come to one of the many events the Burke Museum offers about these magnificent prehistoric creatures.

Our first event is Dinosaurs on Ice: Jurassic Dinosaurs from Antarctica, a lecture for those who are interested in an academic viewpoint of dinosaurs. On Thursday Nov. 12, 7 pm at the Burke Museum, the museum is honored to have Dr. William Hammer of Augustana College, Illinois speak at the event. What started as a trip to Antarctica in 1977 in search of fossilized vertebrates has blossomed into over 30 years of research and numerous expeditions. For more information on Dr. Hammer's lecture, click here.

Next is the premiere of Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway, on view from December 19 - May 31. Based on the book with the same title, artist Ray Troll and paleontologist Kirk Johnson have created a "road trip" through the American West exploring fossils and stories from the past. On opening day, Ray Troll and Kirk Johnson will give tours with Burke Curator of Vertebrates and Micropaleontology, Dr. Liz Nesbitt.

This spring the Burke has dinosaur events for those who like hands-on experience. March 6, come to Dino Day and meet experts from the Burke's paleontology department and learn some interesting facts about dinosaurs. Be sure to check the Burke Museum's website for upcoming information!

Burke Museum members have a special opportunity to explore the collections and meet Burke Staff at the Members' Behind the Scenes Night in April. If you have thought about becoming a member, we recommend supporting the Burke in order to take advantage of this wonderful benefit.

Allosaurus fragilis, on long-term display at the Burke Museum

From exhibits to lectures, the Burke Museum has many options for dinosaur fans of all ages and interests. Open the doors to the Burke and step into the past!
Posted By: Andrea Barber, Communications

Behind the scenes with Ray Troll

2009-10-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

Ever painted a giant T-Rex onto a wall? I have! With expert instruction from celebrated Alaskan artist Ray Troll, a group of volunteers came together this week in a make-shift studio down in Magnuson Park to paint five large wall murals for the upcoming Burke exhibit Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway, featuring Troll’s latest work.

Troll has hunkered down in Seattle for the past two weeks to create these murals showcasing some of his favorite subjects: dinosaurs, killer pigs, hamburgers, and giant ammonites. The fantastical murals will ultimately hang in the gallery alongside dozens of actual fossils from the Burke’s own paleontology collections beginning December 19th --when the exhibit opens.

The Burke Museum is partnering with Ray Troll and Seattle-born paleontologist Kirk Johnson (who together wrote a book called Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway) to present this new exhibit exploring the abundance of fossils in our midst - and specifically in Washington State - and how fossils shed light on Earth’s past.

As you can see, Ray Troll’s recent “art happening” was both fun and productive:

Ray's team of friends and volunteers worked tirelessly to produce large mural reproductions, such as "Sleeping with the Ichthyosaurs"

Ray Troll grabs a paintbrush for some detail work on "Night of the Ammonites"

Once finished, these murals will hang in the Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway gallery alongside real fossils

I'm not the only one who learned to paint with Ray. Burke Museum director Julie Stein also jumped at the chance to pick up a paint brush. When I asked her how it went, she told me, "My friend Edie and I were afraid we would paint outside the lines. Ray showed us how he adds highlights and we discussed how he comes up with these ideas (he dreams about them!). This was very fun!"

P.S. - Mark your calendars for opening day of Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway Saturday, December 19, when Ray will be on hand to give tours of the exhibit.

Posted by: MaryAnn Barron Wagner, Communications

Q: What will you find at a natural history-themed pub quiz?

2009-10-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

A: Over 70 intrepid quiz-takers, ready to prove their knowledge of the natural and cultural world!

Burke Museum Trivia Night is a brand new outreach program that started last Thursday at the College Inn Pub in the University District. We were treated to a hugely successful turnout of UW graduate students and others who came to test their knowledge of the natural and cultural world. Fifteen teams competed for prizes (drink vouchers from the Pub and museum passes from the Burke) and everyone seemed to have a really great time.

I’ve been excited to start this program for a while now, so it was really gratifying to see it come together so seamlessly. The idea came to me this summer as I was brainstorming creative ways to share the collective knowledge of the Burke Museum with people beyond the walls of the exhibit galleries. A regular pub quiz seemed like a good way to expose new audiences to the many, many subjects covered by our museum. I mean, who doesn’t love drinking beer with friends and showing off how much you know about random subjects?

I was lucky to receive instant support for the idea from the Burke’s director, along with generous financial support from the UW Graduate School . Then, I found the perfect venue for Burke Museum Trivia Night—the College Inn Pub. I liked the College Inn Pub because it’s close to campus, has a nice, laid-back atmosphere, and already attracts a lot of grad students who I thought might be interested in coming to a natural history-themed pub quiz.

The quiz consisted of 6 different rounds (the topics for each round will change each month) of 5 questions each plus a bonus round at half-time. All of the questions had to do with subjects that relate directly or indirectly to Burke collections, exhibits, or research. We also featured a picture ID round and a rock ID round, using images and objects from the Burke’s collections. Here are some sample questions from the first Burke Museum Trivia Night:

From the “Mount Saint Helens” round: In what year did Mt. St. Helens erupt?
From the “Antarctica” round: The United States operates three Antarctic bases devoted to research. Name 1 of those stations.
From the “Where in Washington” round: Where in Washington will you find a Washington city whose name means “place of many waters” in the Nez Perce language for its proximity to both the Columbia and Snake Rivers?
From the “Dinosaur Movies” round: Which dinosaur does NOT make an appearance in the first Jurassic Park movie? A: Stegosaurus B: Tyrannosaurus Rex C: Brachiosaurus D: Triceratops
From the “Holidays” round: Which Mexican holiday honors and remembers friends and family members who have passed away?

Think you know the answers to these questions and others like them? Then come to the next Burke Museum Trivia Night on November 5. If you miss that, we’ll be back on the first Thursday of every month.

Oh, and that's me, hosting the first Trivia Night, wearing a moose hat that one of the teams let me wear for the second half of the game. It never hurts to be cheesy!

Posted by: Julia Swan, Communications

Hands-on experience: the Burke Museum and Museology

2009-10-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

The field of museology is undergoing exciting changes and facing new questions which challenge even the most skilled and experienced people in museums. Interdisciplinary skills, new technologies and debating the purpose of museological institutions are a few reasons why I have been anxiously awaiting the start of my graduate studies at the University of Washington’s Museology program.

My name is Andrea Barber and I am the new Outreach Assistant in the Burke Museum’s communications department. Continuing my education while gaining practical knowledge in a field that I am passionate about has been my main goal while applying to graduate schools, and I knew the moment I heard about the Museology department at the University of Washington that it was a perfect fit for me. While completing a Master of Arts, Museology students can get hands-on experience in museums by walking up one flight of stairs and stepping foot onto the Burke Museum’s floors. Internships are available in virtually every department, and there are even audience research courses that have a readily available visitor base at our fingertips.

The Burke Museum provides Museology students the opportunity to apply the knowledge they’re learning as it is being taught in the classroom while simultaneously participating in an environment that could potentially be a source of future employment. During the next two years, I, along with all other 32 members of my class, have the opportunity to explore my particular interests, form lasting connections with Burke Museum mentors and learn how to enhance my skills as part of a museum team. These experiences are invaluable, and I look forward to every minute of it.

Posted by: Andrea Barber, Communications

Photo: UW Museology student takes measurements for artifact catalog records in the Archaeology department

Introducing "Green Museum"

2009-10-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

This post is part of a Burke Museum Blog series called "Green Museum" that explores what sustainability means to the Burke Museum.

Why is sustainability important to the Burke?

As a museum charged to preserve, study, and educate on issues relevant to the natural and cultural world, we have an opportunity and obligation to educate by example. Our mission is to create a better understanding of the world and our place in it. Therefore we are an institution where shared values of conservation, stewardship, and sustainability are showcased, not only in the exhibits we display, but also in the actions and everyday operations inside our walls.

From planning a LEED Platinum building, to shifting our newsletter online, to facilitating cultural collaborations between native peoples across the Pacific, the Burke Museum is making choices to positively and proactively impact the future of our world.

The “Green Museum” segment of this Blog is another such choice. Please share with us your ideas for insuring the future of the biosphere.

Posted by: Julie K. Stein, Executive Director

Indonesian and Samoan communities respond to earthquake tragedies

2009-10-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

The Burke Museum is deeply saddened by the lives that were lost after two earthquakes and a tsunami struck Indonesia and Samoa this week. The museum wishes to express sympathy to all members of the Indonesia and Samoan communities, especially those people living in the Puget Sound who may have family or friends affected by these disasters.

International aid is being distributed to both nations. The following organizations are among those accepting contributions to the recovery efforts.

Donate to the Red Cross

Donate to AmeriCares

Donate to UNICEF

Donate to MercyCorps

New "walking fish" named for UW donor Maggie Walker

2009-09-28T11:40:00.000-07:00

University of Washington alumnae, donor, and volunteer Margaret (Maggie) Walker will soon be honored with the naming of a newly discovered species of fish. The Burke Museum’s curator of fishes Ted Pietsch and his graduate student Rachel Arnold, are facilitating the naming process, which, it turns out, is no small feat! Why is that? According to Ted, “Once a new species of fish is discovered, a specialist has to describe and illustrate the specimen, prepare a manuscript and then submit the manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. The plant or animal cannot be officially declared to be new until the description is accepted for publication and this process might take six months to a year.” In other words, it’s a lot of work! So the Burke is happy to announce that this process has begun for the soon-to-be named “Maggie Walker fish.”

This new species actually suits the name it will soon receive, as this fish is known to “walk” along the bottom of the ocean, rather than swim. The newly discovered fish species is part of the family Antennariidae, commonly known as frogfishes. This family is unique in that they carry their clutch of eggs wrapped in their tail, until just before they hatch, when they drop them on the seafloor and 'miniature adults' hatch out.

The "Maggie Walker fish"

The “Maggie Walker fish” was recently discovered by UW Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences graduate student Rachel Arnold, who has collected both morphological and molecular (DNA) evidence to support her claim that this species is indeed new to science.

Why go to all this trouble to honor Maggie Walker? Maggie has been an active and passionate donor and volunteer for the UW for over 20 years and she visits campus several times a week to attend to her many volunteer commitments. Her interests and volunteer service extends beyond the University to other important causes and organizations. She and her family have traveled extensively throughout the world. They share a love of animals, art, nature, natural history, and being in the outdoors, which Maggie has expressed through her service to art, zoological, and environmental organizations throughout the Seattle-area.

Maggie Walker’s commitment to the University of Washington has benefited innumerable students, faculty, and community members. And now, her name will grace a newly discovered species of fish! Thanks Maggie!

Posted by: Nicole Robert, Communications

Story of a pole raising

2009-09-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

On the afternoon of September 23, a crowd of at least 100 people crammed into the lobby of the UW Tower for a very special celebration. The festivities were surrounding the Burke Museum’s recently acquired totem pole, carved by well-known Tsimshian artist David Boxley, and we were proud and excited to raise the pole in the University of Washington Tower for those who pass through that building to enjoy.

There is a nice story behind how the Burke acquired this pole: in the late 1990s, Warren and Ellie Guntheroth (Warren is a physician at the UW) commissioned David Boxley to carve a pole for their home, partially in memorial to their Siberian Husky, Sasha. The pole was dedicated at the Guntheroth home in 1999. When Ellie passed away a few years ago, Warren decided the pole needed to be moved to a place where future generations could enjoy it, as he and his wife had, and generously donated the pole to the Burke Museum.

The pole, as it stood outside the Guntheroth's home:

As the pole had been standing outdoors for ten years, it required some touchup work by David before it could be reinstalled at the university:

Then, a rededication ceremony helped introduce the pole to its new home: the UW Tower lobby. The unveiling of the pole itself was very exciting and dramatic!

Following the unveiling, David and his friends in the Git-hoan (People of the Salmon) Dance Group treated the crowd to several dance numbers, many written by David himself.

Their performance was a great reminder of the living culture that thrives in Native communities, like the Tsimshian, today. In the words of David, “The traditions are ours, but there needs to be a witness.” Now, for as long as the pole remains in the UW Tower, all people who pass by it will be the witnesses to a beautiful work of art, and to one piece of the Tsimshian tradition.

The artist, David Boxley, speaks about his culture and his craft.

Bug Blast at the Burke: Sept. 20

2009-09-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Insects are always with us, but only once a year do you have the chance to celebrate the earth's most fascinating, numerous and important creatures like you will this Sunday (Sept. 20, 10 am - 4 pm) at Bug Blast. It's the 21st annual "Bug Day" event organized by Scarabs: The Bug Society and the 11th to be held at the Burke.

How do you celebrate insects? You could sing about them, after listening to one of the catchy concerts of "bug songs" by Seattle singers Nancy Stewart (11:30 AM, 2 PM) and John Ackerman (1PM). You could admire dazzling insect collections provided by private collectors and the Burke's invertebrate department, on display only this one day. You could marvel at the intricacy of tiny bugs through a microscope. You could see like an insect through special compound eye glasses. You could make your own "ugly bug" craft object. You could have your face painted like any insect you choose by skilled artists Nel and Clay. You could gaze, fascinated at the inner workings of a live, transparent honey bee hive, or other amazing live insects and spiders provided by Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Bug Safari and Arachnimania. You could examine genuine fossil insects millions of years old, insect-eating plants living today, or even eat an insect yourself -- tasty fried mealworms and crickets will be available!

Kids, be sure to drag your parents along - even if they're squeamish. They might learn something. Entomology really is not just kid stuff; all ages will have a great time at Bug Blast!

Posted by: Rod Crawford, Arachnology