There’s just something so fascinating about the Ice Age – it’s a world so foreign and so familiar at the same time.
Visitors to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., can explore that far off time with the new exhibit, Mysteries of the Ice Ages, which opens on Friday, Oct. 20.
“This area of study is special in how multi-generational it can become. Young kids explore learning about megafauna animals, while adults learn about the glaciation that forms the ice ages,” wrote Emily Doherty, educator for Mysteries of the Ice Ages, in an email interview. “This exhibit has something for everyone in that it has many amazing specimens that are engaging to look at and deeper content explanations for those that want to learn something new about how we interact with ice on our planet.”
We interviewed Doherty about the exhibit, the museum’s connection to the discoveries on display and what visitors will come away with.
Interview edited for brevity and clarity.
Tell me about the genesis of Mysteries of the Ice Ages.
This exhibit is coming to us from the Canadian Museum of Nature. They created this exhibit for their own museum and it has now become a travelling exhibition. We are the first place that it is travelling to.
What personal touches has the DMNS added to help connect with local audiences?
We have two facilitated carts where guests can interact with a volunteer and explore Neanderthal traits, as well as Ice Age Animal Adaptations.
We also have added many Colorado-specific enhancements, focusing on topics of seasonal fat, winter recreation, local legends of the Folsom site, white-tailed jackrabbits, Colorado wildfires, mountain glaciers, and, of course, our Snowmass Discovery of Ice Age specimens in 2010. This is of such importance because it’s one of the largest discoveries and projects the museum has led.
I also believe guests will enjoy making a personal connection to the exhibit by exploring how they interact with ice in so many different ways in their own lives.
What do you hope people come away from the exhibit with?
I hope people will come away from this exhibit with a deeper understanding and excitement around how we as humans interact with our environment, specifically with ice and cold environments.
Tickets and information can be found at www.dmns.org/visit/exhibitions/mysteries-of-the-ice-ages/.
Spend a creepy evening at the Victorian Death Experiences
Getting one’s mind wrapped around the idea of death has never been an easy proposition, and the people of the Victorian Era spent a great deal of time and energy exploring the great beyond. Now the Center for Colorado Women’s History, 1310 Bannock St. in Denver, is taking visitors back to the era with its new Victorian Death Experiences, which runs through Friday, Nov. 3.
According to provided information, this adult-event features a tour of the Victorian home, which will be decorated for mourning. It will allow visitors to peruse “grisly artifacts, hair-raising rooms and stories of death’s presence in Denver.” Attendees will get historical context and learn about how the people of the era viewed death and what happens next.
Get information and tickets at www.historycolorado.org/victorian-death-experiences.
Phoebe Robinson gets brilliantly messy in Boulder
If you’ve ever listened to an episode of the podcast “Two Dope Queens,” caught an episode of “Everything’s Trash,” or seen her appearances on any number of late-night shows, then you know Phoebe Robinson is one of the funniest people alive. Her laugh is absolutely infectious and her sense of humor is so funny and insightful that I defy anyone to engage with her work and not come away grinning like an idiot.
Robinson is bringing her Messy AF comedy tour to the Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., at 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20. This is going to be a full night of laughs, so be sure to get tickets at www.ticketmaster.com.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Ratboys at the Globe Hall
Chicago’s Ratboys make indie rock in the best sense of the term — there’s no pretention here, just thoughtful tunes that rock and shimmer at the same time. Their latest album, “The Window,” isn’t just the group’s best release to date, but easily one of the year’s best. Working with Chris Walla (formerly of Death Cab for Cutie), the group has found a new groove that fits like a glove. It’s got elements of their forebearers like Wilco, but everything feels thrillingly alive and lived in.
In support of the album, Ratboys will be performing at the Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St. in Denver, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21. They’ll be joined by indie upstarts Another Michael. Get tickets at www.globehall.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.