Walking to the Science Park
Great iNaturalisting along the way, take a bit of a wrong turn and then have to go through some construction. Then, over to the main road and there is even more construction. I’m waived through by one of the workers and go around a front loader. Lots, of course, cicadas around by deafening sound of their chorusing!
National Science Museum | 국립중앙과학관
The National Science Museum is a very large complex with a Science & Technology Hall (that’s packed with interactive displays and loud crowds of children (as by design I assume) on one side and the Natural History Museum on the other. Also in the complex is a Children’s Science Museum, something called the Dreamy Experience Center, an Astronomy Center, and a science playground.
Behind the Science and Technology Hall is the Space Science Park, a display of Korean rocketry and, for some reason, maglev trains. Very popular photo spot!
As the representative place of science technology, and culture, the National Science Museum was established in Seoul, Jung-Gu, Yejang-Dong in 1945 to promote the scientific developments of everyday life and to encourage the developments of scientific creativity amongst youth. In 1983, the expansion and relocation of the Science Museum took place at Daejeon’s Daedeok Science Complex, the new compound was to have total space of 176,232㎡ and the interior space of 43,384㎡. After 5 years of construction, the current Science Museum opened in October 9th of 1990. -- Website
National Science Museum Natural History | 국립중앙과학관 자연사관
Across the way from the Science and Technology Hall (through a giant archway) is the Natural History Museum. The first floor is dinosaurs, geology, stuffed animals, the usual things. Very nice exhibition of trilobites! One of my favorite extinct animals. One of my favorite extinct animals. Pinned insect display a bit disappointing since the cicadas (including the Eastern Horse Cicada) are way up high.
At the Natural history Hall you can see the natural history of Korean peninsula-land of Korean peninsula and creatures on the land. You can find evidences of the very early life forms on our land. There are rare specimens such as billion years old fossils and 2.5 billion years old rocks. You can also experience virtual reality and specimen making at the Discovery Zone and Natural history laboratory. -- Website
Second floor is human evolution. Nicely done display the seques into tool making and has a nice history of human tools that ends with computers and hi-tech things. Overall, quite nice, and I should add, worth the cost of entry, which was free.
I skipped the Science Cafe and headed out of the Science Park …
Back to the Gapcheon River
I left the park, walking along some shrubbery by the parking lot and had great iNaturalist finds, including a tree with Eastern Horse Cicada (Cryptotympana atrata) low to the ground. Added a number of observations and then, right in front of me was a large male within reach. Snatched him up and got some good photos. Set him on my hand, but he didn’t want anymore to do we me (doing the cicada danger cry) and with a wobble, flew off. Crossed the big street to avoid the construction and went down to the riverside walkway.
Cryptotympana atrata