The first tour I went on was by Dr. Merk in the Hall of Vertebrate Orgins. The tour started off explaining how all modern animals orginiated from a marine organism with only cartilage. Then a mutation caused bone to form, creating a jaw. This evolved into a skeletal system and later into limbs with ray fins (webbed spines) or lobe fins (resembles fingers and toes). The next major change was in the reproductive system. Before eggs needed to be layed in water, but with the development of egg shells, eggs could be layed on land. This allowed for the adaptation of land animals. After this, animals saw adaptations in their teeth that allowed them to become herbivores. Some animals then formed shells from their spinal cord which served as protection from predators, including turtles. Although, since the creation of the exhibit, turtles were discovered to emerge at a date different than displayed. Another development was the socket joint which allowed for more movement of limbs. The last development discussed was flights and how limbs adapted to become better equiped. Missing from the hall was mammals and reptiles, which had there own exhibits. All of these discoveries were conveyed using fossils, casts, illistrations, and writing. I would say this hall is directed toward a high school level because there was a good amount of reading needed to be done in order to fully understand what was presented. There were no interactive components, but I think adding a touhcscreen with an interactive timeline would be a good addition.

The next tour was by Dr. Holtz in the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs (lizard hipped) and the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs (bird hipped). The first changed covered was the transition from herbivores to carnivores. Next, as the climate became warmer, more trees grew and as a result dinosaurs became larger with longer necks in order to eat off of the trees. It was discovered that dinosaurs have a higher growth rate which is possible through more efficient respiratory systems and higher metabolisms. Armored dinosaurs had clubbed tails and would lock heads. A preserved mummy of a duck bill dinosaur revealed a thick skin on its hollow crest and it is beleived to make sounds similar to a woodwind instrument for communication. By comparing fossils to modern animals, it was found that one speciman was a relative of the modern crocidile. Another speciman was found to be related to the modern ostritch or emu, which was suprising because their pinched foot bone was thought to prevent them from walking on their hind legs. Lastly, raptors greatly resembled the modern birds, so if was deduced that birds decended from dinosaurs. All of this information was conveyed using fossils, reolicas, illistrations, and writing. I think the exhibit is directed toward middle schoolers since there was a good amount of visuals but still relied on writings. An error in the hall was the hind lends of the Trannosaurus Rex. Since the bones were not found with the others it was assumed to resemble what was thought to be a close relative. It was later found that the two were not related but the incorrect legs remain on the exhibit and the speciman is placed next to the wrong relative. I did not see any interactive component, but I think an addition of interactive family tree instead of the illistration would be more engaging.

The last tour was completed independently of a guide and was completed in the Hall of Gems and Minerals. Through an interactive game called "Guess the Mineral" I learned that minerals are solids, are found in nature, are inorganic, have a uniform chemical composition, and have a crystal structure. This element was very informative as I learned through each level how unique minerals are from other substances that share similar characteristics. I would say the hall was directed toward middle schoolers since the characteristics were fairly straightforward but someone would need to know the vocabulary. Besides the game, there were many displays of gems and minerals with placks stating their origin. I could not tell if anything was out of date because I do not have a wide knowledge of gems and minerals.