BOZEMAN – The most complete and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered will be on display starting this weekend at the Museum of the Rockies. The special exhibition, “Sue: The T. rex Experience” will showcase the latest scientific discoveries about Sue, a T. rex unearthed in 1990. Visitors will be able to step back in time and explore the sights, sounds and smells of Sue’s world.
“Hosting ‘Sue: The T. rex Experience’ at MOR is a ‘dino-mite’ moment for us,” said Scott Williams, the museum’s director of exhibitions. “As the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex specimen ever found, Sue is a rock star of the dinosaur world. We’re beyond excited to share this world-famous dinosaur and their story with our visitors.”
Highlights of the exhibition include:
– An exact cast of Sue’s skeleton, standing 40 feet long and 13 feet tall at the hip.
– A life-sized, fleshed-out model of Sue battling with an Edmontosaurus, one of its favorite preys.
– Cutting-edge digital interactives, including large animations depicting Sue’s prehistoric world.
– Hands-on stations where visitors can touch bronze casts of Sue’s bones, experience the deep rumble of a T. rex growl, and even smell what scientists believe Sue’s breath may have been like.
– The latest paleontological research, including the addition of gastralia (belly ribs) that helped Sue breathe and made the predator appear even more imposing.
“We can’t wait to reintroduce Sue to the world,” said Jaap Hoogstraten, director of exhibitions at the Field Museum in Chicago, who oversaw updates to Sue and the new components of the traveling exhibition. “Sue is the crown jewel of the Field’s collections, and now we’re finally showcasing them the way they deserve.”
Museum of the Rockies members are invited to a special opening event on Friday, Feb. 7, at 6 p.m. The evening will feature light refreshments, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a panel discussion with experts, including the Field Museum’s Thomas Cullen, the exhibit’s scientific adviser; author-illustrator Ted Rechlin; and MOR’s John R. Horner Curator of Paleontology, John Scannella. The exhibit will open to all museum visitors the following day, Saturday, Feb. 8. Membership and ticket information can be found at museumoftherockies.org.
