Dinosaurs Return from Extinction at MNS

/PRNewswire/ -- They move. They roar. And some of them have feathers! The creatures of Dinosaurs Unearthed recreate the Jurassic period as never before. The landmark exhibit runs at Dallas' Museum of Nature & Science from October 21 until May 1, 2011.

" Dinosaurs Unearthed is the perfect blend of entertainment and education," says Paul Vinson, Director of Exhibits at MNS. "You'll learn so much about these fascinating animals. It's an exhilarating experience for kids of all ages!"

These dinosaurs not only move and roar on their own, but visitors also have the opportunity to control the actions of certain models. Along with such well-known dinosaurs as Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops and Stegosaurus, Dinosaurs Unearthed is the first exhibit in the world to feature a feathered dinosaur.

"The feathered T. rex is a fairly recent discovery," says Dr. Tony Fiorillo, Curator of Earth Sciences for the Museum of Nature & Science. "We've learned from recent fossil impressions that several of the carnivorous dinosaurs had feathers."

More than a dozen dinosaur species are represented in the 5,000 square-foot exhibit. Among the life-size, robotic models are nine full-size replicas, five "juvenile" models, three skeletons and twenty different fossils. Visitors will be able to "excavate" realistic fossil specimens in a dig pit and learn more about the extinct creatures through interactive kiosk displays and in-gallery activities.

Admission to Dinosaurs Unearthed includes access to all MNS exhibits and buildings. MNS members receive a reduced rate. Dinosaurs Unearthed admission is $15 for adults (18-61); $14 for seniors (62+) and students (12-17); $12 for children (2-11). Admission for MNS members of all ages is $3. Children under 2 are admitted free. Tickets for Dinosaurs Unearthed are currently available online or at any MNS box office during regular Museum hours.

Dinosaurs Unearthed will be on display in the MNS Science Building at 1318 S. 2nd Avenue in Fair Park from October 21, 2010 through May 1, 2011. Museum hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m.

Further information is available by calling 214-428-5555 or visiting www.natureandscience.org.

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The World's Largest Brachiosaurus at The World's Largest Children's Museum

/PRNewswire/ — They lived 145 million years ago, walked on four legs, were three times as tall as giraffes, were as long as humpback whales and weighed up to 88 tons. They were so large that they probably had no predators, so they ruled the late Jurassic world and they are sure to rule The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. An approximately 50-foot-tall, 75-foot-long mother dinosaur will appear to lift the roof of the New Welcome Center, allowing her 30-foot-long child to enter the building. The gentle plant-eaters are among the most widely known dinosaurs in the world. Will you recognize them when you come face-to-face with them?

The three giant Alamosaurs bursting from the Dinosphere exhibit's exterior help get children excited about entering the world of dinosaurs. It is our hope that the addition of the Brachiosaurus to the new expansion will continue to compel children and their families to explore the world of science," said Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

Gary Staab of Staab Studios, located in Kearney, Mo. sculpted the two giant Brachiosaurs. They are the largest dinosaur sculptures that his studio has ever created. Staab Studios www.staabstudios.com has permanent displays at museums around the world including the National Geographic Explorers Hall in Washington D.C. and Denver's Museum of Nature and Science.

The six-month creation process began with sketches of the Brachiosaurs, and then a team from the museum worked closely with Staab to create small, highly detailed models. The models were posed and scanned, and then the life-sized sculptures were carved in foam supported by an internal steel armature. A structural coating of polyurea was added to the foam pieces. Then the skin was sculpted and painted so that it would appear to be highly realistic, a hallmark of Staab Studios since it began in 1989.

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New Exhibit Features World's First Set of Full-Size, Feather-Covered Dinosaurs

/PRNewswire/ -- Dinosaurs Unearthed, now making its U.S. debut at Cincinnati Museum Center, is an exhibit highlighting some of the most thought-provoking paleontological discoveries of the past decade.

Dinosaurs Unearthed features a thrilling display of roaring, moving dinosaurs reaching up to 55 feet long and 22 feet high. And while many visitors will be shocked by the sheer size and exactness of the exhibit's Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops, the content sure to have people talking long after will most certainly be the never-before-seen set of full-size, feather-covered dinosaurs.

In recent years, paleontologists across the globe have discovered and studied fossilized evidence that many famous dinosaur species, including Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor, may have been covered in feathers to help camouflage, travel or even keep themselves warm.

To compile the exhibit's contents, Dinosaurs Unearthed producers worked closely with Dr. Xu Xing of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Science in Beijing. Dr. Xu is widely considered to be the world's foremost expert on feathered dinosaurs.

"A selection of feathered dinosaur models illustrates the diversity of new forms discovered in recent years," says Glenn Storrs, PhD, Cincinnati Museum Center's Withrow Farny curator of vertebrate paleontology. "The feathered dinosaurs of China confirm the long-suspected evolution of modern birds from extinct dinosaurian ancestors. With each discovery, another evolutionary "missing link" is added to our understanding of the fossil record."

Accompanying the exhibit is the OMNIMAX film, Dinosaurs Alive. The film takes visitors on an immersive journey back to the early Triassic period all the way through the late Cretaceous, following the tiniest of dinosaurs to the largest creatures that walked the earth.

Produced by the Maryland Science Center and in association with the American Museum of Natural History, the film explores the early roots of paleontology in the Gobi desert, and sweeps the audience through the beautiful landscapes of Mongolia, New Mexico, and into the famous halls of the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Dates, hours and admission
-- Feb. 13 through Sept. 7
-- Dinosaurs Unearthed
-- Non-members: $15 adult, $10 child
-- Members: $10 adult, $7 child
-- Exhibit hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; final entry into the exhibit occurs at
5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and at 6 p.m. on Sunday
-- Dinosaurs Alive
-- Non-members: $7.50 adult, $6.50 seniors, $5.50 children (ages
3-12)
-- Members: $5.50 adult, $4.50 child
-- Standard show times are Monday: 1, 2, 3 and 5 p.m.; Tuesday
through Thursday: 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 p.m.; Friday: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and
9 p.m.; Saturday: hourly, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., 9 p.m.; and Sunday:
hourly, 11 a.m. through 6 p.m.

For more information or to book tickets, visit www.cincymuseum.org or call 1-800-733-2077.

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