Antarctic Dinosaurs Opens at NHMU, Featuring Extreme Expeditions and Fossils Unfrozen

Oct. 19, 2020 – Embark on an adventure to uncover never-before-seen dinosaur fossils from one of the most isolated environments on Earth. Antarctic Dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum of Utah is an immersive experience, transporting visitors back over 200 million years to discover what life was like when the coldest place on earth was far more temperate.

Opening to the public this Saturday, October 24, the latest special exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Utah guides visitors through what was once a lush, thriving continent. Discover fossils from four Antarctic dinosaur species, including the 25-foot-long Cryolophosaurus, as well as other extinct amphibians and mammal ancestors, and get hands-on experience with real tools to learn how paleontologists carefully extracted fossils from the now frozen landscape.

“Antarctic Dinosaurs has something for every visitor at every age: history, earth science, danger, and dinosaurs!” said Jason Cryan, executive director of the Natural History Museum of Utah. “And NHMU has a personal connection to the exhibit, as multiple museum departments collaborated on the creation of the exhibit since its inception in 2016.”

Indeed, NHMU played a role in the early days of developing Antarctic Dinosaurs, participating in the exhibition development process and welcoming the Field Museum of Chicago’s staff for two days of intensive concepting, gathering feedback, and building out rapid prototypes that would serve as the basis for the exhibit’s interactives.

“Since that early collaboration, this exhibit has taken on a magnificent life of its own, which we know visitors will respond to,” said exhibits director Tim Lee. “It tells a compelling story of adventure and science, underscoring how far humans will go to learn more about the natural history of our world.”

Not only will visitors experience life in ancient Antarctica, they’ll grasp the courage, tenacity, and fortitude required of the scientists who visit the vast continent today, and learn how research of these fossils sheds new light on our planet’s ever-changing climate and geology.

Don’t miss this thrilling expedition at the Natural History Museum of Utah. Entrance into Antarctic Dinosaurs is included in the Museum’s price of general admission. For additional information, visit nhmu.utah.edu/.

In conjunction with the opening of the exhibit, the Museum invites the community to join a virtual talk and Q & A with Dr. Nate Smith, associate curator of the Dinosaur Institute at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.  Held on Saturday, October 24 from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. MT, the event will offer viewers a chance to hear – first hand – what role Antarctica has played in understand the early evolution of dinosaurs.

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About the Natural History Museum of Utah

The Natural History Museum of Utah is one of the leading scientific research and cultural institutions in the country. Established in 1963, the Museum’s collections contain over 1.6 million objects and offers innovative exhibitions and educational programs to thousands of residents and visitors each year, including traveling and permanent exhibits, special events and other programs. With an expected attendance of 300,000 visitors a year, the Museum also offers a variety of outreach programs to communities and schools throughout Utah, reaching every school district in the state annually. The Museum has an active science program with more than 30 scientists and 10 field exhibitions each year.