> Laura Bauer wrote: > > > Hi - I'm trolling for ideas: our museum is hosting the Dinamation dinosaurs > > this summer in our auditorium. Each dino will be in/on an "island" of rock > > and artifical plants (on top of plastic sheeting to protect the wooden > > floor). We're trying to be "evolutionarily correct", so they will be > > surrounded mostly by artificial ferns, cycads, conifers and mossy-type > > things. I'm trying to figure out what we could use to fill in around the > > plant bases on the floor. We're trying to avoid natural materials (wood > > chips, dried moss, etc...) because we would have to fumigate and fireproof > > them. We could use crushed rocks, but they are fairly expensive and heavy. > > Has anybody out there solved a similar problem or have any brilliant ideas > > they'd like to share? Extra challenge: we don't have a big budget and we're > > getting short on time. Please respond to: [log in to unmask] Laura - Like San Diego, we use camouflauge netting. We have a T-Rex right now and we added fake Christmas tree limbs UNDER the netting and also pulled the netting over several large and small fake trees. It has a very natural effect sort of mossy-like. We were loaned the netting by the National Guard. Mary Cloud McAllen International Museum McAllen, Texas > Laura, > Hi. We at the San Diego Natural History Museum have installed many robotic > exhibits ( both Dinamation and Kokoro) and we have used many of the things you > have mentioned. We have lately used camouflage netting from the army/navy. It > is fairly organic looking, usually comes in big pieces, is usually flame > resistant and/or fire proofed and can be fairly cheap/inexpensive. Sometimes > you can even chose between "desert storm" tan or northern Europe green. We have > been able to acquire some through the government surplus program and, of > course, at army navy surplus stores. > I hope this helps. > > Tim Murray > Director, Exhibits Department > San Diego Natural History Museum > [log in to unmask] > > > Mary C. Cloud Director of Science and Outreach McAllen International Museum 1900 Nolana McAllen, TX 78504 Phone: (956) 682-1564, Ext. 109 Fax: (956) 686-1813 E-Mail: [log in to unmask]