Everyone knows Tyrannosaurus rex. But did you know that T. rex hatchlings were fluffy and gangly, more like turkeys than the massive killing machines they grew up to be? Or that T. rex evolved from a large group of dinosaurs that were, for the most part, small, and fast? Or how about that the mega-predator had the rare ability to pulverize and digest bones? T. rex: The Ultimate Predator will introduce you to the entire tyrannosaur family and reveal the of the most iconic dinosaur in the world through life-sized casts, and engaging interactives.
Encounter a massive life-sized model of a T. rex with patches of feathers-the definitive representation of this prehistoric predator. See reconstructions of several T. rex hatchlings and a four-year-old juvenile T. rex. This exhibit will also feature a “roar mixer” where visitors can imagine what T. rex may have sounded like by blending sounds from other animals; a shadow theater featuring a floor projection of an adult T. rex skeleton coming to life; and a life-sized animation of T. rex in a Cretaceous environment that responds to visitors’ movements. At a tabletop “Investigation Station,” visitors can explore a variety of fossil casts ranging from coprolite (fossilized feces) to a gigantic femur, with virtual tools including a CT scanner, measuring tape, and a microscope to learn more about what such specimens can reveal to scientists about the biology and behavior of T. rex.
