He saw a large relief map of BC. Austin estimated that it was two stories high and about 5 metres wide. Colours representing the various elevations were projected onto it. They would occasionally project extra information like a visualization of California, Oregon and Washington all fitting into the space of British Columbia.
Skye pointed out to Austin the Rocky Mountain Trench and he said, "hmm... so BC is not part of North America?" This is because the trench was created by two plates moving apart after colliding. Austin was kind of correct in that BC is on a different plate from most of North America. Austin explained that continents don't always have to be separated by oceans, such as Europe and Asia, which are separated by the Ural Mountains.
Austin also saw the life-sized woolly mammoth. The ice in this exhibit was real. He saw a replica of a BC coastal forest that contained:
- elk
- deer
- bears
- squirrels, etc.
- squirrels, etc.
He saw a cougar skull and a Humboldt squid. Austin was carrying a digital camera, and took a picture of the squid.
He walked through the coastal First Nation pit house. He saw beds made of dirt and animal hides. He thinks they might be comfortable but not as comfortable as the more modern memory foam mattresses ;)
He saw an animal hide/clothes making table. He noticed tools made with sticks strapped to rocks, used for skinning the animals. The people made tunics out of hides.
On another floor, he saw the "time lost" exhibit. The exhibit begins in the 70's and 80's (Star Wars, old computers and PacMan arcade games). Next was the 30's or 40's ("old" as Austin put it). Cigars that sell for $0.05 instead of $10 today. A mini Chinatown, hotels and saloons, brick roads (his feet hurt after walking on it a while). Next was a farm from the same period. The display had donkeys pulling things (no engines). Austin says, "They had ZERO technology." A donkey pulling a cart was the most technology he could spot. Skye asked if they had shovels and he said, "Yes." S: "Isn't that technology?" A: "Yes, but it's oooooold technology, invented by the Sumerians."
Next, he saw an old sawmill. He couldn't remember seeing any engines. There was one two-man saw, one belt saw. Next was a mine with hand-cranked drills. Austin tried cranking one and it was impossible to do - it was so hard to move. He saw some gold panning.
Next, they went to the BC maritime history section from "the old tall ship period." They could see the stern of the tall ship. They saw the old bunks, no hammocks in this one. Then they saw some modern-day battle ships.
We all watched an IMAX movie on whales. Some of the opening footage showed the elusive blue whales. Austin felt there was nothing new learned. Skye was underwhelmed and a little annoyed at how shallow the material was ... even the footage was only average for the most part.
Next, they went to the BC maritime history section from "the old tall ship period." They could see the stern of the tall ship. They saw the old bunks, no hammocks in this one. Then they saw some modern-day battle ships.
We all watched an IMAX movie on whales. Some of the opening footage showed the elusive blue whales. Austin felt there was nothing new learned. Skye was underwhelmed and a little annoyed at how shallow the material was ... even the footage was only average for the most part.
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