Pressroom Story

Exhibit on Largest T. rex Ever Unearthed

In Brief:

Title: Rochester Museum & Science Center Brings Exhibit on Largest T. rex Ever Unearthed to Community

Location: 657 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607

Dates: October 6, 2012 through January 6, 2013

Admission: Free with regular Museum admission: $13 adults, $12 seniors and college students with ID, $11 ages 3 to 18, free for RMSC members and children under 3

Detailed Information: www.rmsc.org; Facebook; Twitter (@rocRMSC)

Rochester Museum & Science Center Brings Exhibit on Largest T. rex Ever Unearthed to Community

ROCHESTER, NY—Visitors will experience the largest, most complete and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered in a new traveling exhibit at the Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC). So big, in fact, that six ceiling tiles in the RMSC Riedman Gallery need to be removed in order to fit the massive cast skeletal structure. The hands-on exhibit, called A T. rex Named Sue, is available for the public to experience from October 6, 2012 through January 6, 2013.

A T. rex Named Sue brings the story of Sue to life in a multisensory experience that combines visual, tactile, audible and aromatic activities. Visitors will marvel at the most famous T. rex's size and ferocity while learning about her scientific importance.

"The T. rex fascination has lived on since the discovery of the dinosaur, and we're glad to be able to offer the Rochester community the opportunity to experience the largest yet," said Kate Bennett, president, RMSC. "Sue's wonder and significance has the ability to inspire conversations that extend learning across the generations."

The 5,500-square-foot exhibit space includes several unique areas that will "transport" visitors to the Mesozoic era. Sue's fully articulated cast skeleton, the exhibit centerpiece, stands at 42 feet (12.8 m) long and 12 feet (3.66 m) tall at the hips. Visitors come face-to-face with Sue's skull, a whopping 5 feet (1.5 m) in length, which rotates and growls. Throughout the exhibition, visitors explore the way Sue lived, died, and interacted with her environment. Community members discover how Sue has been the key to help unlock many secrets of her species, and learn about the creative methods of fossil preparation and study. Visitors explore her experiences while uncovering the truth behind dino-myths and speculation.

In an immersive experience, visitors get hands-on with Sue's world. In interactive areas, whole families can:

Uniquely, visitors can get hands-on with fossils and other specimens from the RMSC's collection, lead by staff and volunteer educators in the exhibit every day from 11am-5pm.

On selected days throughout the fall, visitors can journey back in time with the "Dino Days" program. Through programs designed specifically for younger audiences, attendees discover that not all dinosaur species lived at the same time. Visitors experience the Triassic period to learn about the deserts that dinosaurs called home 220 million years ago. They'll travel to the Jurassic period's open woodlands and discover what it was like to be a Stegosaurus. Finally, they'll take a trip to the Cretaceous period and come face-to-face with the queen of the "lizard kings," Sue. "Dino Days" takes place on Saturdays, October 6, 13, 20, 27, November 3, December 1, 8, 15, 29, and Monday, October 8.

"Exhibits like A T. rex Named Sue, from The Field Museum in Chicago, draw visitors from the Finger Lakes region, the southern tier, Buffalo, Canada and beyond," added Bennett. "We're eager to attract tourists to our region to see and experience our exhibitions."

One of the largest flesh-eaters to have ever inhabited the Earth, T. rex roamed North America about 67 million years ago. The T. rex featured in this exhibit is named for Sue Hendrickson, who discovered the dinosaur near Faith, South Dakota, during the summer of 1990 during a commercial fossil hunting trip. To ensure that Sue would be preserved for future generations of scientists and visitors, The Field Museum in Chicago purchased Sue. As the most complete T. rex specimen ever discovered, Sue has tremendous value for scientists and the general public. At approximately 90 percent complete and delicately preserved, Sue is a celebrated representative of its species, allowing for detailed studies of the biology, growth and behavior of T. rex.

Visitors have the opportunity to snap their photo with a fun, ferocious T. rex replica with its open-mouthed head and trademark tiny arms. An exquisite Cretaceous period mural serves as the background. A photo, complete with a T. rex fame, are $5 each.

In addition to exploring A T. rex Named Sue, visitors can leap into a different time period in Expedition Earth, a permanent exhibit at the RMSC. This exhibit includes two mastodon replicas, and is full of numerous local fossils—many more than 370 million-years-old. Also, visitors can use an interactive to explore theories on why dinosaurs became extinct.

Completing the experience, visitors can explore the RMSC science store, which features several T. rex related gifts including plush toys and graphic t-shirts.

The RMSC is open seven days a week. Regular hours are Sunday, 11am–5pm and Monday–Saturday, 9am–5pm. All museum exhibits, including A T. rex Named Sue, will be unavailable on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 16, 17 and 18 because galleries will be filled with displays of hand-crafted items during the RMSC Women's Council Holiday Bazaar Arts & Crafts Sale. Visit www.rmsc.org for the complete holiday hours schedule.

Admission to A T. rex Named Sue is free with regular Museum admission: $13 adults, $12 seniors and college students with ID, $11 ages 3 to 18, free for RMSC members and children under 3.

A T. rex Named Sue is locally presented by M&T Bank. Additional support comes from Harris Beach PLLC, Monroe County and MVP Health Care. The media sponsor is Time Warner Cable. This exhibit was created by The Field Museum in Chicago, USA, and made possible through the generosity of McDonald's Corporation.

A T. rex Named Sue is a key part of the RMSC's centennial celebrations, where community members are invited to join the fun through various activities, events and opportunities as the RMSC honors its past and look forward to the next 100 years of discovery, exploration and inspiration.

For high-resolution images and additional information, contact Debra Jacobson, Director of Marketing and Community Affairs, RMSC at (585)697-1944 or debra_jacobson@rmsc.org.

Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) receives major funding from Monroe County. RMSC includes a planetarium, nature center and science/regional history museum. The mission of the RMSC is to stimulate broad community interest and understanding of science and technology, and their impact—past, present, future—on our lives. For more information about RMSC, visit www.rmsc.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@rocRMSC).

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