LA County Natural History Museum (#3)

Sorry, it's been a while. I've been doing a lot of reading since my visits to the museums of LA.

Easily the most interesting museum I visited was the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. I was exploring the exhibits (I highly recommend it!) when I came across a door that was marked 'Employees Only.' Of course, who wouldn't find it all the more tempting to see what's on the other side? Well, maybe most people wouldn't just dash in like when nobody was looking and then march around like you owned the place, but I couldn't help myself.

In this one room, I found a lot of oddly shaped rocks laid out on a table. A few of them looked a little like chicken bones, but that was a vast minority. I quickly determined that this collection of worthless pebbles amongst the worth while bones must have been brought in because they came from the same place, likely to make sure nothing was missed when they were initially gathered. I took a good look at a few of the smaller rocks, made sure they were nothing special, and separated them into my hand. It felt great, helping out these scientists!

That's when one of the employees (The kind referred to on the sign, most likely) walked in. That's when I realized what it would looked like. In panic, I pocketed the pebbles. After a decently lengthy blank stare, the guy asked who I was. Before I could stop myself, I replied that I was the intern. Museums can have interns, right? Luckily, it must have made sense, because after some more blank stare he informed me that I didn't look like their intern. Naturally, I replied that I was the 'replacement intern,' for which I was granted even more of that ever present blank stare. Sensing that it was time to get out of there, I informed him that I would be right back. I was lying, turns out.

On my way out, I passed two more employees who were too wrapped up in their conversation to even notice me. Something about 'meta-carpals' and proof of a link between 'modern avians' and 'theropods.' Sounded interesting, I wish I could have stayed longer to find out more. Oh well.

In hindsight it's a good thing I didn't stay. As I was leaving, they went into the room I just came out of. Someone must have spilled their coffee, they way one of them was yelling. They'd probably ask me to get more, since I was the intern and all.