Age of Pandas: The Past and Present of Giant Pandas

Age of Pandas: The Past and Present of Giant Pandas
熊猫时代——揭秘大熊猫的前世今生

From Jan 29, 2019
Location: Chongqing Natural History Museum, Chongqing

The Chongqing Natural History Museum launched the exhibition to popularize scientific knowledge about the giant panda and the conservation achievements taken to protect it, commemorate the 150th anniversary of the scientific discovery of giant pandas, and pay tribute to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The exhibition consists of four sections. The first section, "panda events", reviews the scientific finding of pandas and their fossil remains discovered over one and a half centuries. Based on the latest research results, the second section, "the secret of giant pandas", introduces the physical appearance, physiological characteristics and survival strategies of the loveable creatures. The third section, “the evolution of giant pandas", compares panda fossils with others from the same eras and places of origin. The last section, "the protection of giant pandas", reveals the living conditions, the crises they have faced, their captive breeding, and an ambitious plan to strengthen scientific protection and build a national giant panda park.

The highlight of this exhibition is the combination of ancient and modern times. There is not only a focus on modern giant pandas, but also tracing of the panda’s evolution through fossil records. With abundant specimens and thorough explanations, the exhibition tells the scientific story of the coexistent of humans and pandas for eight million years.

In cooperation with the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, the Chongqing Natural History Museum has completed a pioneering scientific restoration project for ancient pandas. With the help of science and technology, such as fossil scanning, 3D modeling and printing, a vivid panda exhibition is now available.