DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Michigan Science Center said its popular dinosaur exhibition "Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family" will be extended through August 2025, giving people a little more time to get up close with life-size T. rex skeletons.
See inside the exhibition in the video below
The exhibition is underwritten by Ford Philanthropy and shows off cutting-edge science, fossil displays and interactive experiences.
“This exhibit has been a runaway hit, and we simply can’t let it go just yet,” Dr. Christian Greer, the president & CEO of the Michigan Science Center, said in a statement. “The public response has been phenomenal, and we are so grateful to Ford Philanthropy for their generous support in helping us extend the exhibition through August and offering new ways to bring even more people to learn about these awe-inspiring predators up close. This means more families, more curious kids, and more dinosaur lovers can experience the coolest exhibit in Detroit this summer. If you haven’t seen it yet, now is the time. Don’t miss your chance to walk among these amazing creatures.”
The exhibit showcases a collection of tyrannosaur skeleton casts, fossils, and life-size displays. It was created by the Australian Museum and then toured internationally.
Sections in the exhibit include:
- Diorama - Visitors get a close look at a fleshed-out model of a Guanlong surrounded by what would have been its natural habitat. Guanlong was a relatively small theropod, reaching 3–3.5 m (9.8–11.5 ft) in length and 125 kg (276 lb) in body mass. Its fossils were found in the Shishugou Formation dating to about 160 million years ago, in the Oxfordian stage of the Late Jurassic period, 92 million years before its well-known relative Tyrannosaurus. It had a large crest on its head. Unlike later tyrannosaurs, Guanlong had three long fingers on its hands. Aside from its distinctive crest, it may have had a coat of primitive feathers.
- Projection Tunnel - Exhibit-goers pass between two 30-foot-long screens and watch as tyrannosaurs run around their local city’s most famous landmarks wreaking havoc.
- Family Tree Touch Table - Visitors can hatch, feed, play with and eventually build a whole family tree of tyrannosaurs.
- Augmented Reality Screen - All sorts of tyrannosaurs surround in an AR-created adventure. Users can interact with the now-extinct creatures as they are brought back to life.
- Tyrannosaurus Rex - Young and old alike can get up close and personal with one of the world’s most complete T. rex skeletons. “Scotty’s” skeleton was cast from a fossilized Tyrannosaurus rex found in Saskatchewan, Canada. It stands at 15 feet tall. It is both magnificent and terrifying, but also playful. Scotty’s shadow appears to come to life, making hand puppets while the T. rex roars and growls.
- Daspletosaurus, Albertosaurs, Lynthronax - Visitors compare the size of a T. rex with its smaller cousins. Three full life-sized skeletons help give some context to the sheer size and terror that these carnivores would have induced.
- Wipeout - This interactive has a large screen that displays a view of the earth from space and a sensor pad that visitors jump on in the hope they can activate a meteor shower.
- Bite Force - This interactive gets visitors to squeeze the throttle and measure their strength against the bite force of a tyrannosaur, shark, lion and human.
- Timeline - Exhibit-goers get to cycle through the ages and see where and when each known dinosaur lived and where its fossils were discovered.
- Carnegie Specimens - Through a lending arrangement with Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the exhibition presents four never-before-toured T. rex fossils as part of the Tyrannosaurs — Meet the Family exhibition. These specimens include a partial upper jaw (with teeth), juvenile femur, pubic boot and a fused nasal (snout) bone. Rarely on display outside of their home museum, the fossils allow visitors to explore millions of years of prehistory without having to leave their hometown.
“Ford Philanthropy is proud to support the extended run of Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family, bringing this special experience to even more families across Detroit in collaboration with some of our other dedicated partners,” said Renee Godfrey, the hometown manager for Ford Philanthropy, added in a statement. “Together, we're helping spark curiosity, inspire learning, and foster a deeper connection to science in our community, and that's exciting.”
