Delve into dinosaur discoveries this week when Dr Mikael Siversson, Curator of Palaeontology at the Western Australian Museum, presents four lectures as part of the Museum’s 2014 In the Wild West lecture series, from Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 June. 

Dinosaurs and other creatures of the Cretaceous greenhouse world explores the world as it was 145-66 million years ago, when pterosaurs the size of planes soared the skies, enormous crocodilians wallowed in waterways and giant dinosaurs roamed the landscape.

“The Age of the Dinosaurs is a completely fascinating, sometimes difficult to comprehend period that holds a strong appeal for both adults and children. I really enjoy sharing my passion and knowledge with Western Australian communities to bring this world to life,” Dr Siversson said.

“To get a fully immersive experience you need to use your imagination to recreate the sights, smells and sounds of a place quite unlike the world that we know today.”

Dr Siversson’s lecture is the first regional lecture of the six-month In the Wild West series, featuring expert presentations from some of the State’s leading scientists, curators and associates, covering topics from dinosaurs to local shipwrecks and conservation of rock art.

“The WA Museum plays a vital role in sharing stories of interesting scientific research and discoveries that happen every day; our passionate staff enjoy communicating this information with Western Australian communities,” WA Museum CEO Alec Coles said.

Thanks to support from Rangelands Natural Resource Management (NRM), the 2014 In the Wild West lecture series will visit Broome, Kununurra, Port Hedland, Karratha and Carnarvon, with lectures repeated at WA Museum sites in Geraldton, Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Perth.

“Taking the In the Wild West lecture series regionally allows us to engage communities that may not typically be able to visit WA Museum sites and participate in all that we have to offer,” Mr Coles said.

“This lecture series aligns with the WA Museum’s mission of inspiring people to explore and share their identity, culture, environment and sense of place, and it also underpins the themes supporting the New Museum redevelopment by providing an opportunity to showcase the unique biodiversity of our State, and to share the incredible stories of our people.”

Lectures will be recorded throughout the series and made available for viewing on the WA Museum’s website.

Dinosaurs and other creatures of the Cretaceous greenhouse world will be presented twice in Karratha and twice in Port Hedland from Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 June. For the complete lecture schedule or to make a booking visit: www.museum.wa.gov.au/karratha/dinosaurs-and-other-creatures-karratha.