Thomas Barbee

This latest exhibit at the Field Museum should unleash the imagination of everyone who attends, as "Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids" delves into the realm of the relative unknown. The exhibit’s divided into four sections: land, sea, air and dragons. Every room is beautifully crafted, with a quintessential creature recreated to match each room. In the sea-themed room, the infamous Kraken, a gigantic sea monster that has been featured most recently in "The Pirate of the Caribbean" film series, appears to be coming from the floor of the exhibit room, with its serpentine tentacles winding up towards the ceiling. Mermaids are among the highlighted sea-oriented creatures, as the exhibit contrasts the numerous variations on the myths that range from the familiar to the relative unknown. In the air-creature section, a Roc greets the visitors with its seventeen-foot wingspan and equally massive talons; the room also takes a look at the egasus and a model of the Aepyornis. The latter is a now-extinct bird that was the largest to have ever lived, standing at more than ten feet tall. The kids also have an opportunity to create their own dragon using a touchscreen, if all the nifty models and short films aren’t enough. With its wondrous layout, "Mythic Creatures" captures the imagination of all ages by not only making the unreal accessible, but also by allowing the same myths to take on a life of their own.

"Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns and Mermaids" runs through September 1 at The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore, (312)665-7100.

(2008-03-25)

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