Dinosaur egg museum in China is built from bamboo and concrete

China is home to the world’s largest collection of fossilized dinosaur eggs, so it should be no surprise that the country has built the world’s largest dinosaur egg museum.

Huazhong University of Science and Technology’s Baofeng Li, Jianmin Ding and Changshun Xu designed the museum to adapt to Hubei province’s mountainous terrain and the location of dinosaur eggs distributed over an area of 10 square kilometers. The building’s angular form was created to evoke the shape of a dragon, an image reinforced by its rough craggy skin made from cast-in-situ concrete molded over a bamboo frame.

Located in Qinglong Mountain National Geological Park, the dragon egg museum and its form was determined by the placement of the dinosaur eggs laid around 70 million years ago. The 70-meter-long building also pays homage to its more recent past with a roof made from reclaimed tiles left by local villagers and preservation of the natural site, including the undulating terrain and the 800-year-old trees. The double facade of tiles and concrete helps keep the museum naturally cool.

Visitors tour the dinosaur egg exhibitions through a series of raised walkways that snake through the areas where the fossilized eggs are located and dimly illuminated by small lights. Grills punctuate the roof to let in natural ventilation, while blocking natural light. The architect’s minimalist design creates a mysterious atmosphere that aims to immerse visitors in the prehistoric world. The Qinglong Mountain National Geological Park also built a second building, the visitor reception center (not pictured), to accompany the museum that will offer magnificent panoramic views across the Geopark.