J. Kuether
Traveling Exhibition: Bizarre Headgear
Ceratopsians and the Evolution of Extraordinary Skulls
The exhibit Bizarre Headgear presents evolution to the extreme. 12 foot antlers and billboard sized heads are just some of the dramatic examples of bizarre headgear on display. See the amazing ways evolution has equipped the prehistoric animal world for combat and courtship. From the evolution of giant horned dinosaurs to their outrageous mammalian counterparts, this exhibit traces the evolution of bizarre head structures throughout time.
Themes
– Origins and evolution of horned dinosaurs
– Bizarre headgear in other dinosaurs & birds
– The rise of horns and antlers in mammals
– Crests and frills in the animal kingdom
– Anatomy of bizarre head structures
– Bizarre headgear in courtship and combat
– Human adaptation of bizarre headgear
Specifications
– 2,000-10,000 sq. ft.
– 10 foot minimum ceiling height recommended
Pricing & duration
Affordable rates beginning at $35k for 2,000 sqf and $175k for 10,000 sqf. transportation included. The standard exhibit lease is 3 months. Longer or shorter periods can be arranged according to the requirements of the exhibition venue. Detailed lease fees available on request.
To be provided by
the hosting venue
– Lights, and barriers.
– Single-phase electrical supply.
– Translation of text and production of text panels and graphics if necessary.
– Equipment required for access, installation and dismantling.
– Skilled support staff to assist with installation and dismantling.
– Storage facilities for transport crates.
– Promotion and publicity.
– Staffing during exhibition run.
The first ceratopsians were small. Some, like Psittacosaurus, were completely without frills. From these early ceratopsians, behemoths like Torosaurus arose. Evolution pushed ceratopsians to ever larger and more elaborate frills. Like Protoceratops on a larger scale, later ceratopsians were walking billboards advertising suitability as mates or intimidating rivals and predators by their shear size.
Dinosaurs were incredibly diverse, which is reflected in their headgear. While Ceratopsians may win the prize for the largest headgear, other dinosaur groups used their head features in a variety of ways. In addition to mating displays, Hadrosaurs may have used crests to produce low frequency calls and theropods to regulate body temperature. The uses of dinosaur headgear may have been as numerous as their many incredible forms.
The frills, crests, and horns of dinosaurs proved successful for millions of years, and mammal headgear became every bit as extreme. When comparing antlers and tusks to Ceratopsian skulls. The head forms are noticeably different, but they probably served the same primary functions. Looking at the large horned and antlered skulls it is easy to imagine the ability of mammals to fill the same evolutionary roles as ceratopsians.
Why do some heads develop strange forms? Mostly, it is related to mating. Other parts of the body can evolve to be elaborate, think of a peacock’s tail, but the head is the most noticeable part of the body.
While bizarre features have many uses, tusks can dig, and antlers can defend, the main reason for frills, crests, horns, and tusks is the attraction of females or the elimination of rivals. Attractiveness to the opposite sex and being able to intimidate young rivals with large headgear are the keys to mating success.
Ceratopsians
– Adult Protoceratops skeleton cast
– Juvenile Protoceratops skeleton cast
– Torosaurus skeleton cast
– Utahceratops skeleton cast
– Juvenile Utahceratops skeleton cast
– Psittacosaurus skeleton cast
– Zuniceratops skeleton cast
– Diabloceratops skull or skeleton cast
– Pentaceratops skull cast
– Nasutoceratops skull cast
– Eotriceratops skull cast
– Coahuilaceratops skull cast
– Kosmoceratops skull or skeleton cast
– Archeoceratops skull cast
– Lioceratops skull cast
– Auroraceratops skull cast
Life Sculptures
– Torosaurus 1: 15 scale
– Pachyrhinosaurus 1:15 scale
– Styracosaurus 1:10 scale
– Einosaurus 1:10 scale
– Psittacosaurus 1:1 scale
– Utahceratops skull anotomical model
Other Dinosaurs
– Corythosaurus (Duckbill) skull cast
– Velafrons (Duckbill) skull cast
– Parasaurolophus (Duckbill) skull cast
– Pachycephalosaurus skull & Dome
– Saurolophus (Duckbill) skull cast
– Ceratosaurus skull cast
– Dilophosaurus skull cast
– Prenocephale skull cast
– Minotaurasaurus skull cast
– Oviraptor skull & neck cast
– Anzu (oviraptor) skull cast
Life Sculptures
– Minotaurasaurus head
– Ceratosaurus head
– Oviraptor head & neck
Early Bizarre Headgear
– Estemmenosuchus skull cast
– 2 Dicynodont skull casts
Life Sculptures
– Estemmenosuchus head
Birds
– 7 Modern Hornbill skull casts
– 1 Modern Cassowarie skull cast
Pterosaurs
– Nyctosaurus skull cast
– Tupuxuara skull cast
– Pteranodon skull cast
– Tjapahara skull cast
– Tropeognathus skull cast
Mammals Tusks & Teeth
– Cuverionus skull cast
– Mammoth skull or skeleton cast
– Modern Hippopotamus skull cast
– Ice age walrus skull cast
– Platybelodon skull cast
– Chilotherium skull cast
– Modern Warthog skull cast
– Modern Vampire deer skull
– Modern Muntjac skull
– Modern Roe deer skull
– Smilodon Populator skull cast
– Modern Elephant skull cast
– Modern Narwhal skull cast
– Mastodon Skull cast
Mammals Antlers
– Irish Elk Skull cast
– Cervalces Skeleton cast
– Sinomegoceros skull cast
– Synthetoceras skull cast
Mammals Horns
– Bison Latifrons skull cast
– Bison Priscus skull cast
– Modern Bison skull
– 14 modern African bovid skulls
Other Horns & Ossicones
– Modern Rhinoceros skull cast
– Pleistocene whooly rhino skull cast
– Modern Giraffe skull & neck
– Sivatherium skull cast
– Brontotherium skull cast
Other Mammals
– Archeotherium skull cast
– Megachoerus skull cast
Life Sculptures
– Brontotherium head
– Archeotherium head
Featured Artists
– Karen Carr
– Shane Foulkes
– James Kuether
– Dan Larusso
– Victor Lyshek
– Gary Staab
– Elisa Uribe
– Greg Wenzel
– Dennis Wilson
ABOUT GDI
In 1989, Robert Gaston discovered the dinosaur Gastonia. The dinosaur’s genus was named in his honor. This discovery led to the creation of Gaston Design Incorporated (GDI) in 1996 and was the inspiration for the exhibit Animal Armor. Over the last 25 years, GDI has reconstructed many newly discovered dinosaur skeletons for leading paleontological institutions.
SERVICES
Gaston Design Inc (GDI) specializes in the restoration, molding, and casting of fossil skeletons, as well as gift shop lines of smaller paleontological replicas (teeth, claws, skulls, etc.). In addition to cast replicas, Gaston Design offers museum services such as skeleton mounting, exhibit design and construction, and traveling exhibits.
MUSEUMS
Gaston Design Inc’s skeletons and casts are on display, or in the collections and gift shops of many museums world-wide. Some of these include the following;
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Utah Museum of Natural History
The Smithsonian Institution
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Science, Tokyo, Japan
The Field Museum, Chicago, IL
Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario, Canada
Museo Del Desierto, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
American Museum of Natural History
Contact Us
gastondesigninc@gmail.com
Phone
970.858.4785
Located in
Fruita, Colorado U.S.A