Even the littlest dino-enthusiast can tell you that just like people, dinosaurs came in all shapes and sizes. However, it’s always the biggest of the beasts that people remember.
In our house, the little kids enjoy Dino Ranch and Dinosaur Train, while the bigger kids are all for Jurassic Park and Jurassic World franchises. Why? Tyrannosaurus rex, of course! However, Queensland Museum’s upcoming Dinosaurs of Patagonia exhibition reveals T-rex was nowhere near the largest creature to roam the Earth.
On display will be the colossal Patagotitan, which was discovered in 2008. The dinosaur is believed to be the largest-known land animal, reaching 37 metres in length and weighing in at 70 tonnes!
Dinosaurs of Patagonia: From South America to south-east Queensland
The exhibition of fossils from South America will run from Friday, March 17 to Monday, October 2, 2023. Dinosaurs of Patagonia will feature 13 dino species, including the behemoth Patagotitan.
Also of sizeable mention is the 6-tonne Tyrannotitan. It’s considered on of the most ferocious predators of the Cretaceous period.
“The sheer size of the dinosaur skeletons in Dinosaurs of Patagonia is something you truly have to see for yourself to get an understanding of these massive, majestic creatures that once roamed the Earth,” Queensland Museum Network CEO Dr Jim Thompson says.
“Dinosaurs have always been hugely popular at the museum. This incredible exhibition brings together original dinosaur fossils dating back millions of years, full-scale casts of dinosaurs, and new discoveries.”
It’s not just the giant creatures Dinosaurs of Patagonia will look at. It will also showcase the Manidens condorensis, a small herbivore measuring just 75 centimetres tall and one of the smallest dinosaurs known to-date.
In all, the exhibition focuses on creatures from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. It means these creatures would have walked the land between 252 million and 66 million years ago!
A dino-mite exhibition
Dinosaurs of Patagonia comes to Queensland after a run in Western Australia. The exhibition also features 16 skeleton casts, 3D animations, and video of dinosaurs and digs. You have the opportunity to look on as though you’re a palaeontologist yourself. You’ll get up-close to some of the world’s most remarkable fossils, including a real 2.4m Patagotitan femur.
