Article Source: Glasgow Museums
Last Updated: 13 April 2019 8:41
Photo Credit: © Martin Shields Photography
After a road and ferry journey which took her across Europe, Trix the T. rex has arrived in Scotland.
It takes five days for experts to painstakingly unpack and assemble the massive dinosaur skeleton, which weighs a colossal 5,000 kg, the same as four Mini Cooper cars. And organisers gave access to the dinosaur build on Friday 12 April 2019 for an exciting preview of the T. rex skeleton.
With her ferocious teeth and short arms, the Tyrannosaurus rex is probably the most well-known dinosaur in the world.
The 39ft long skeleton is an incredibly rare and important fossil. At Kelvin Hall it forms the centrepiece of T. rex in Town, a major interactive exhibition that will engage and educate visitors on the history of this iconic and ferocious dinosaur species.
The public can also marvel at a painted reconstruction of what the 66-million-year-old T. rex looked like. Visitors might be surprised to see that the most scientifically accurate depiction of the ancient animal shows it had feathers.
Trix’s arrival at Kelvin Hall positions the west end of Glasgow as the dinosaur capital of Scotland! T. rex in Town overlaps with the final weeks of Dippy on Tour from the Natural History Museum at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, just across the road from Kelvin Hall.
Steph Scholten, Director of The Hunterian, said: “We are delighted to welcome Trix the T. rex to Scotland. She has travelled across Europe by road, sailed across the English Channel by ferry and has cleared border control, despite Brexit, to arrive safely with us in Glasgow.
“Bringing this major touring exhibition to the city will allow thousands of Scots, and visitors to Scotland, to see one of the world’s most iconic dinosaur species.
“Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons are very rare finds and Trix is the only real touring T. rex fossil in the world. This is a major coup for Glasgow which is the only UK stop on her European tour.
“T. rex in Town offers a once in a lifetime experience for visitors to come face to face with a real T. rex and learn about her life through this superb interactive exhibition. We hope everyone who comes to see this incredible dinosaur specimen will be as excited to see her as we are.”
Chair of Glasgow Life, Councillor David McDonald, said: “Trix has arrived. The anticipation is growing. Like thousands of other visitors, I am really excited to see this impressive, if slightly scary, creature take shape before my eyes. It’s incredible to watch the skilled team from Naturalis in the Netherlands bring this extremely rare real dinosaur skeleton to life in Glasgow.
“We look forward to welcoming many dinosaur fans to Kelvin Hall over the coming months, where Glaswegians and visitors to the city can enjoy this unique opportunity to stare into the eyes of one of the most terrifying predators ever to have stalked the earth. Trix will be safely housed in a new, bespoke, climate-controlled, 600m2 pavilion within the massive vaults of Kelvin Hall.
“Glasgow is delighted to partner with The Hunterian and Naturalis and take on the proud mantle of dinosaur capital of Scotland. Until 6 May visitors can also marvel at Dippy, the Natural History Museum’s famous Diplodocus, at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. We trust these spectacular exhibitions will inspire curiosity about the natural world around us.”
The T.rex in Town exhibition has been touring European cities while she waits for a new museum building to be completed at Naturalis Biodiversity Centre in her home city of Leiden, in the Netherlands. Once her visit to Glasgow is finished it is unlikely she will go on tour again.
Edwin van Huis, Director of Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, said: “We are thrilled that Trix is in Glasgow and we are very excited to show her off to Scottish and UK audiences. This marks the final stop of Trix on her European tour before she returns to the Netherlands.
“Trix is one of three of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons in the world, with nearly 80% of her bones intact. She is mounted in such a way that she is bent over with her neck low to the ground, her massive jaws stretched wide in her 1.5-metre skull, staring straight into the visitor’s face. It is a magnificent sight.
“The skeleton is the central part of an interactive and educational exhibition which also includes reconstructed examples of Trix's favourite prey along with the habitat and how she was discovered in Montana, USA.
“Trix is loved by the Dutch people and is an ambassador for us as a museum, which aims to inspire children and adults about the natural world. She has already been seen by over 1 million visitors. It is fantastic the people of Scotland can also admire our queen of dinosaurs and be astonished by nature. We are sure she will have a hugely powerful impact in Glasgow.”
Trix is a unique find. With almost 80 percent of bone volume found, she ranks in the top three T. rex skeletons in the world. Trix is a five-tonne, 39ft (12 metres) long female T. rex whose extremely well-preserved skeleton was discovered in Montana, USA in 2013.
She will be on display at Kelvin Hall from Thursday 18 April to 31 July 2019. The T. rex in Town exhibition is organised by The Hunterian at the University of Glasgow and Glasgow Museums and has been supplied by Naturalis Biodiversity Centre.
Tickets for the major dinosaur attraction and interactive exhibition are available now https://kelvinhall.org.uk/trex/, Tickets £14 / £8, family ticket £39.50. Concessions are also available.
Edinburgh’s top street food hang-out and leading comedy producers Gilded Balloon have today announced a brand new partnership, bringing the city’s funniest night out to Edinburgh Street Food.
READ MOREEdinburgh Science Festival drew its 35th anniversary edition to a close last weekend and now announces its new Director, Hassun El-Zafar, and dates for the 2025 Festival.
READ MOREThere’s just one week to go before the Pomegranates Festival of International Traditional Dance (25-30 April) kicks off at the Scottish Storytelling Centre and various venues across Edinburgh.
READ MORENow in its 30th year, the show is the go-to exhibition for any self-builders or renovators looking for practical tips, expert advice, or the chance to view 1000s of products.
READ MOREThe popular Edinburgh Seafood Festival returns to St James Quarter, with even more opportunities to get a taste of the finest Scottish fare!
READ MORECineworld Edinburgh celebrates the acclaimed British director Danny Boyle from May 7th to May 28th with a limited time big screen re-release of four of his classic titles at only £5 per ticket!
READ MOREJohnnie Walker Princes Street is inviting guests to find their flow and embark on a journey of tranquility and connectivity with its latest offering, Sunrise Yoga on 3rd May!
READ MORERed Carnation Hotels, the family-owned hotel collection, proudly announces the opening of its latest masterpiece and first property in Scotland, 100 Princes Street.
READ MOREThe Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo has been named the best zoo to visit in Scotland by TripAdvisor, the world’s biggest travel guidance platform.
READ MOREAmbassador Theatre Group (“ATG”), a leading live entertainment organisation, and owner of the Edinburgh Playhouse, today announced that it is rebranding as ATG Entertainment.
READ MORELatest investigations by National Trust for Scotland archaeologists at Culloden Battlefield have recovered a wide range of artefacts.
READ MORERUSK & RUSK, the independent Scottish restaurant group, today shares first look impressions of The Spanish Butcher, Edinburgh, and confirms it will officially open on Friday 10th May.
READ MORESip & Bark is opening its doors today on Raeburn Place in Stockbridge, with a delicious brunch offering, a selection of cocktails and fine wines, plus it’s dog friendly!
READ MOREThe annual Open Weekend returns to Port Edgar, the largest watersports and activity centre in Scotland, for a special 10th-anniversary event on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 May!
READ MOREBroadway and West End phenomenon Kinky Boots The Musical, is strutting into Edinburgh in a brand-new production starring Strictly's Johannes Radebe and rising star Dan Partridge!
READ MORELaser Station will be hosting an exciting fundraising event from April 22nd to April 28th, aimed at raising funds to support Cash For Kids initiatives.
READ MORELloyds Banking Group is hosting a free event on Saturday 13th April in Edinburgh for young people wanting to explore the wide range of careers options available in the banking industry.
READ MOREVolunteers at the Newtongrange Community Garden were delighted to welcome a special visitor on Tuesday 2nd April - Owen Thompson MP.
READ MOREThe Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) Scottish Game Fair (SGF) is back for 2024, celebrating its 35-year anniversary at Scone Palace.
READ MOREGlobal apparel retailer UNIQLO will open its doors to Edinburgh’s highly anticipated store on 25 April 2024, with the arrival marks the regeneration of the shopping scene in Scotland’s capital.
READ MOREDobbies, the UK's leading garden centre, is inviting plant enthusiasts and foodies alike to a brand new Afternoon Tea and Planting Experience at its stores nationwide.
READ MOREThis year's Springfest, set to take place this weekend, has been postponed due to forecasted high winds.
READ MOREDuck & Waffle Edinburgh is thrilled to announce the return of breakfast service seven days a week and to celebrate KIDS EAT FREE for the Easter break!
READ MOREA fantastic range of brand-new blockbusters, haunting horrors, theatre productions and all-time action classics lead the roster of releases heading to Vue this April.
READ MOREEdinburgh Folk Club’s weekly folk, roots and acoustic nights are set to continue into the spring and summer, along with the return of their annual Songwriting Competition.
READ MOREGilded Balloon have today added over 65 shows for 2024’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe line-up including Michelle Braiser and Mhairi Black!
READ MOREMore than 5,400 people took advantage of exclusive offers available only to residents within the City of Edinburgh Council area last year.
READ MOREElaine C. Smith will play the role of The Childcatcher in the new production of the most fantasmagorical musical of all time, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, when it comes to Edinburgh Playhouse!
READ MOREHistoric Environment Scotland (HES) has announced that over twenty sites across the country are set to reopen their doors to visitors this weekend.
READ MOREJoin Diabetes Scotland for a virtual event about an exciting new programme supporting children and young people 11 - 25 living with type 1 diabetes - Together Type 1.
READ MORE