GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Beginning Thursday, you'll be able to view a full-scale replica of a juvenile mastodon at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
The official unveiling was scheduled for a private reception Wednesday evening, with the media invited.
A construction crew working on a drainage project in Kent City discovered the bones of the mammal in 2022 on the Clapp Family Farm. The skeleton was largely intact. It was later donated by the family to the museum.
The exhibit features around 130 bones. It is opening in conjunction with a $50 million renovation at the GRPM.
Here are more details from the GRPM:
Michael and Courtney Clapp generously donated the bones to the Grand Rapids Public Museum to ensure they stayed close to home and that many West Michiganders would be able to view and study this fascinating find. Visitors will be able to see the fully articulated 3D-printed model standing on the Museum’s first floor beside select real bones for West Michigan to enjoy.
Through the exhibit, visitors will discover details in the skeleton that helped researchers determine the mastodon’s age and environment. Plaques will educate guests on the differences between mastodons and mammoths, two species that are often confused for one another, but bear striking differences
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