Museum reveals relic of an ancient terror born a billion years ago!
March 29, 2007
RALEIGH -- Ladies, keep those feathered hats at home. This month's Natural Horror Picture Show presents the return of an ancient killer bird god on a mission to recover his missing feathers. And boy is he peeved. "The Flying Serpent" swoops down on the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh, at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 6. Free.
The trouble starts after an archaeologist with some serious personal issues discovers a living version of Quetzalcoatl -- a feathered serpent revered in Aztec mythology (and a word you never want to tackle in a spelling bee). While the mythical Quetzalcoatl was divine, this one is anything but, and after killing the archaeologist's wife it becomes his unwitting hit man. [Did you know? Quetzalcoatlus is the name given by scientists to one of the largest known flying animals of all time -- a pterosaur with a wingspan of up to 60 feet that lived in North America between 84 and 65 million years ago.]
George Zucco plays the demented archaeologist Dr. Andrew Forbes in this 1946 flick. Zucco was a former vaudevillian who evolved into a Hollywood arch villain, playing such roles as Professor Moriarty, the brilliant archenemy of the world's most famous detective, in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" (1939). You may also recognize the Head of Inquest played by Budd Buster. Buster, whose acting resume includes appearances in more than 300 films and TV shows (mostly westerns) throughout his 30+ year career, was a regular on "Gunsmoke" in the late '50s/early '60s, playing stableman Moss Grimmick.
The Museum stays open till 9 p.m. Come early for live bluegrass music from Smokehouse and a peek at the Museum's latest traveling exhibit, "Hunters of the Sky," which takes a close (but safe) look at birds of prey (all tix $2). You can also enjoy snacks and beverages from the Acro Café. Additionally, the Museum Store offers after-hours shopping and the opening reception for a new exhibit -- "Shimmer of Silver, Warmth of Wood," highlighting silverpoint artist Jeannine Cook and wood sculptor Kurt Hupe, in the Nature Art Gallery.
The Museum of Natural Sciences is located in downtown Raleigh at 11 West Jones Street. Parking is available on the street and in surface lots along Wilmington and Edenton streets. For more information, contact Steve Popson at 919-733-7450, ext. 379.
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in downtown Raleigh, documents and interprets the natural history of the state of North Carolina through exhibits, research, collections, publications, and educational programming. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9 am to 5 pm, and Sun., noon to 5 pm. Admission is free. Visit the Museum on the Web at naturalsciences.org. The Museum is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, William G. Ross Jr., Secretary.
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