NORWICH — The most iconic dinosaur that ever lived is on its way to the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich. The exhibit, “A T. rex Named Sue,” scheduled to open May 17, features a cast of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered.
At 42-feet long, 3,500 pounds, and 12 feet tall at the hips, this fully articulated cast skeleton is the keystone piece of this traveling exhibition which also includes replicated dinosaur fossils, video footage, free-standing interactive exhibits and colorful graphics.
Sue is the largest and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex ever unearthed, and is one of the most significant fossil finds to date. Fossil hunter Sue Hendrickson found the specimen in 1990 in the Hell Creek Formation near Faith, South Dakota. In 1997, the Field Museum in Chicago purchased the 67-million-year-old fossil at auction for $8.4 million, setting the world record for the highest price ever paid for a fossil.
Only four T. rex specimens containing more than 60 percent of their original skeleton have been found. Sue is at least 90 percent complete. Only a foot, one arm, and a few ribs and vertebrae are missing. Because of its near completeness, the specimen has presented the scientific community with a variety of new evidence, and with it Field Museum scientists made important new discoveries about the biology and evolution of Tyrannosaurus rex.
Sue will be assembled in Montshire’s Main gallery and offers visitors the chance to discover what these professionals have learned. The discovery of Sue ranks as one of the most important fossil finds ever, with tremendous educational value for scientists and the general public.
Tyrannosaurus rex is the most widely recognized dinosaur in the world. Although it was first named almost a century ago, much remains to be understood about this remarkable animal. Carnivorous dinosaurs recently described from the Southern Hemisphere are of similar, or perhaps slightly larger size, but T. rex remains one of the largest flesh-eaters to have ever inhabited the Earth. With its extraordinarily powerful jaws and massive serrated steak-knife teeth, T. rex still dominates popular perceptions of the Age of Dinosaurs.
The exhibit “A T. rex Named Sue” runs from May 17 through September 7, 2014 at the Montshire Museum of Science. It will be the first time the exhibition has been to northern new England.
This exhibit was created by the Field Museum, Chicago, and made possible through the generosity of McDonald’s Corporation. Local sponsorship is provided by Geokon, as well as Lake Sunapee Bank, and King Arthur Flour. Media sponsorship provided by WCAX and NHPR.
Admission to “A T. rex Named Sue” is free with Museum admission. $16 for adults, $14 for children 2-17, and free for Montshire members and children under 2 years of age.
The Montshire Museum will be closed May 12-14 during the installation of “A T. rex Named Sue.”
The Montshire Museum of Science is a hands-on science center located on 110 acres in Norwich, Vermont. Visitors will enjoy more than 100 interactive exhibits relating to the natural and physical sciences, technology, and more. The Montshire is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
