Dragon Discoveries

Ancient myths meet modern science at Hot Springs museum

The dragons have joined the dinosaurs this summer at Mid-America Science Museum on the northwest outskirts of Hot Springs.

“The Lost World of Dragons” exhibition continues through Aug. 17. That gives families time before school resumes to see a menagerie of these fearsome mythical creatures. Stars of the show are seven models of assorted fire-breathing beasts imagined across the planet from ancient times until today.

Famous fire-breathers

These often long-tailed legends have played title roles since the 1970s in the classic game “Dungeons & Dragons.” They’ve appeared in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, the “Harry Potter” books and films, and television’s “Game of Thrones.” The movie remake of “How to Train Your Dragon” is a hit this summer.

“Books often discover new audiences when they are translated to film,” exhibit visitors are told. “Nonetheless, the reason a myth like dragons has survived the ages is because of our own desire for it to be real, especially when physical evidence may seem to back up the story.”

Dynamite duo

The dragons complement the museum’s permanent Dinotrek, an assortment of dinosaur models, some of which utter menacing roars. Two Jurassic Era species, Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus Rex, pose along the walkway from the parking lot to the entrance. A smaller dinosaur stands indoors. Ten more lurk along a mile of paved and wooded paths behind the museum.

Visitors to “The Lost World of Dragons” see examples from around the world, including China, Europe and Central America. One posting relates the legend of the dragon that killed the Anglo-Saxon hero King Beowulf in the iconic Norse saga set in the eighth or ninth century A.D.

Visitors learn that Tolkien’s novel “The Hobbit” borrowed extensively from “Beowulf.” Tolkien’s hero, Bilbo Baggins, disturbed Smaug the dragon while stealing a cup from its lair. Smaug spread terror and destruction before being killed by Bilbo’s companion, Bard the Bowman.

Global myths

An enlightening account accompanies the model of a prehistoric pyramid dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent of the Toltecs, Mayans, Aztecs and other prehistoric cultures in today’s Mexico:

“At the center of Chichen Itza is a 79-foot-high stone pyramid dedicated to Kukulkan (Quetzalcoatl) by the Mayans around 1000 A.D. The structure embodies Mayan myth by brilliantly calculating natural astronomical cycles. Twice each year, at spring and fall equinoxes, the great serpent appears to come to life.

“Around 3 p.m., a play of light and shadow creates the eerie impression of the featured serpent gradually undulating down the stairway of the pyramid. As the shadow moves down the stairway, the body of the snake ultimately unites with one of the enormous stone heads.”

Educational facts like this
are blended with entertain-ment in “The Lost World of Dragons.”

Available are a number of interactive kiosks, including multiple-choice questions listing four possible answers, one of which is correct.

This and other hands-on activities for youngsters provide plenty of lively detail for a back-to-school report titled “What I Did This Summer.”