Hidden treasures out for a day

Nothing on TV, video or under glass can compare with a close-up, open-air view of historical and archaeological treasures.

Imagine standing right next to a 75-million-year-old skull of a horned dinosaur, too recently discovered to even have an official name yet.

Visualize looking down seemingly endless shelves of ancient Native American artifacts, salvaged just before Glen Canyon was flooded.

Dream no more, because the 16th annual "What's in the Basement?" event at the Utah Museum of Natural History, 1390 E. Presidents Circle, is Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

During this popular event, some of the museum's extra 1.2 million items — far too numerous to be on display — are accessible to the public.

The museum can only put 1 percent of its items on regular display, according to museum spokesman Scott Pettett. This annual event offers a rare peek-behind-the-curtain opportunity.

The media got a one-day early preview of the insiders tour Friday.

That horned dinosaur head, normally only visible to the public from 20 feet away through a glass window, will be available for a "face-to face" encounter as the main-floor research lab opens its doors.

Eric Lund, a paleontology lab manager and graduate student, said this horned dinosaur skull was found several years ago in southern Utah's Kaiparowits Plateau, located near the town of Escalante in Garfield County.

"It's brand new to science," he said, explaining it required two weeks and a heavy-duty helicopter to airlift the fossil out of the remote area. "It's a fairly complete skull."

This dinosaur featured some unique, small horns and a weird-looking head, even by dinosaur standards. While the bulk of it is there to see, it's yet to be fully assembled.

Viewing other portions of the lab's current work on fossils illustrates how it requires extensive puzzle-like assembly skills to put together exhibit-ready dinosaur skeletons, as many of the fossils are still in pieces. In the museum's actual basement is a maze of hallways containing hidden treasures.

Glenna Nielsen, the museum's anthropology-collections manager, showed off an extensive basement collection of modern and ancient pottery, baskets, clothing, rugs and other items that number in the tens of thousands.

She said they range from an item about 20 years old to the 8,000 B.C. "Cowboy Cave" basket. Most items date from 450 A.D. to the present.

This tour also offers opportunities to rub shoulders with around 100 curators, researchers, education specialists and volunteers who are on hand to share background stories on featured objects and he questions scientists have about them.

Regular admission costs apply during the "basement" tour day. That's $7 for adults; $3.50 for kids ages 3-17 (children under age 3 get free admission); and $3.50 for seniors ages 65 and older. University of Utah students and staff also get free admission.

For more information, go to: www.umnh.utah.edu or call 801-581-6927.

e-mail: lynn@desnews.com