Shedding (intelligent) light on the past

Intelligent lighting meet not-so-intelligent dino. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, USA decided to redesign the lighting for their popular Dinosaur Hall based on two objectives: to create a bright architectural look giving the dinosaurs the major focus, and to create a magical light show that, combined with narration, could run on a time clock and be synchronized to sound.

Lighting designers and consultants Cindy Limauro and Chris Popowich installed eight Martin RoboScan Pro 918´s overhead, strategically placed around the room with another three units installed as uplights in the dinosaur platforms. To sculpt the dinosaurs, LSI 250W PAR uplights were used with linear lenses on each platform to light the interior rib cages. The exterior skeleton lighting came from overhead ETC Source Four ellipsoidals, each with a Wybron Forerunner Color Changer. Control is via an ETC Expression 3 400 channel Lighting Playback Controller (LPC). All fixtures were placed on separate control for maximum design flexibility.

Chris explains how he incorporated the Pro 918’s into the show. "The Martin RoboScans are used extensively in each show to create special effects, movement, and a unique focus on each dinosaur as the narration refers to specific parts within the skeleton. For example, in one show the narration talks about the extinction of the dinosaurs and the Martin RoboScans create a meteor shower overhead that pans the room.", "In another show", he continues, "the narration describes the length of Dippy as "large enough to have its head on home plate and its tail on first base at Three Rivers Stadium" as the audience hears the sound effects of a bat hitting a baseball." Using a Martin unit, the designers create the effect of a baseball soaring through the air, starting at Dippy´s head and ending at the tail.

The Martin RoboScans are also used in the architectural "day time" look to hightlight T-Rex´s ferocious teeth. The design possibilities are endless and include creating "day time" and "night time" looks, tropical foliage for the dinosaurs habitat, water effects, lightning, strobe effects for swishing tales, battles, mood changes within the environment, etc. The main objective is to bring the dinosaurs to life for the children and adults who visit the museum each day. Marketing surveys show that the number one attraction at the Museum of Natural History is the Dinosaur Light Show.

Cindy Limauro and Chris Popowich received two Illumination Design Awards, one presented by the Pittsburgh section of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) and the second from the Great Lakes Region of IESNA in recognition of outstanding achievement in lighting design. The exhibit has also qualified to compete in the international design awards.

Cindy Limauro heads the Design program at Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama. She designs professionally for theatre, opera, dance, industrials, and architectural projects and is a member of United Scenic Artists.

Chris Popowich teaches lighting at Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama. He designs professionally throughout Canada, US, UK, and Singapore and is a member of ADC and ALD.

Lighting Designers and Consultants: Cindy Limauro and Chris Popowich

Light Board Operator and Moving Light Programmer: Kevin Hardy

Electrical Contractor: Mike Hanlon, Hanlon Electric

Lighting Suppliers: Terri O´Toole, LaFace and McGovern Assoc. Inc.; Dan Chujko, Chujko Bros, Inc.

Systems Integrator: Mark Knight, Knight Sound & Lighting