Dinosaurs Take Over the State Museum in New Blockbuster Exhibit
June 4, 2014
COLUMBIA, SC – June 21, 2014 – This summer, take a journey back in time when monsters walked the earth, swam in the sea and soared through the sky as the South Carolina State Museum presents its newest blockbuster exhibit, Dinosaurs: A Bite Out of Time, opening Saturday, June 21.
After being extinct for more than 65 million years, these life-like dinosaurs are hungry and ready to roar the crowds visiting the State Museum. The exhibit features several robotic dinosaurs and strange creatures from prehistoric time. Guests can meet aTyrannosaurs rex up close, marvel at the long-necked Elasmosaurus and watch the skies for the flying Pterandon. But beware, these creatures look, move and sound like the real thing.
“You don’t want to miss the chance to see these robotic creatures come to life,” said Dave Cicimurri, natural history curator, S.C. State Museum. “The exhibit is very entertaining, but will also leave you with a deeper understanding about prehistoric times and how dinosaurs lived and ruled for more than 180 million years.”
The exhibit includes a number of hands-on features, including a controllable duck bill dinosaur, a dinosaur dig box and two dinosaur puppet show booths for kids to enjoy. Guests will have the opportunity to take home a prehistoric piece of history by having their souvenir photo taken sitting on or beside a life-sized Triceratops.
The dinosaurs in the exhibit range in size from half-scale to full-size and include some of the most well-known dinosaurs, includingTyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops and Stegosaurus, as well as less familiar animals such as Tenontosaurus and Pachycephalosaurus.The exhibit also includes a robotic Maiasaur, the skeleton cast of which is on permanent display on the museum’s natural history floor.
Guests will also encounter creatures that lived during the age of dinosaurs, but were not dinosaurs, including a Mosasaurus, a real “sea monster” depicted feasting on a squid, which was one of the fiercest reptiles ever to hunt the seas of its day, even more dangerous than the huge crocodiles of the time. Another creature that was close to dinosaurs is a special visitor to the exhibit, Pterrence the Pterandon. Pterrence the Pteranodon is a flying reptile that measures nine feet tall and has a wingspan of 23 feet wide, which is longer than any living bird. These dinosaur relatives ruled the skies for more than 100 million years.
Ptraveling Pterrence replicas will be sold in the Cotton Mill Exchange museum store. The public is encouraged to participate in the Ptraveling Pterrence contest by purchasing a Pterrence and taking him on their adventures to school, shopping, dining out, on vacation and other places they may travel. Be sure to take pictures of Pterrence “photobombing” your travels and share them on Facebook, Twitter or Instragam with the hashtag #ptravelingPterrence for a chance to win a monthly State Museum prize.
Become a “Membersaurus” and receive reduced admission to Dinosaurs: A Bite Out of Time. Museum membership is a great way to experience all that the museum has to offer at a special value. Museum members receive several great benefits, including free general admission, discount admission to blockbuster exhibits and signature events, discounts in the museum store, subscription to the museum magazine and more. Members also support the museum’s programs, collection and exhibits.
Media sponsors for the exhibit include Clear Channel, Lamar Advertising and The State. Visit scmuseum.org to learn more about the exhibit.
About the South Carolina State Museum: On Oct. 29, 1988, the South Carolina State Museum opened its doors, bringing to the citizens of the Palmetto State the newest, and one of the finest, state museums in America. The Museum has four large floors devoted to the disciplines of art, history, natural history and science/technology. It houses both long-term exhibits and five changing exhibit galleries. For more information about the museum, visitscsmuseum.org or follow @SCStateMuseum on Twitter.
