ABOUT

Dinosaurs! is a 5,000-square-foot exhibition that brings guests face to face with creatures that once roamed the earth over 150 million years ago. The exhibition features ten towering animatronic dinosaurs that come alive and simulate life in the Mesozoic era. The creatures on exhibit include a Pterandodon, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Parasaurolophus and Stegosaurus. In addition, guests will see both Ankylosaurus and Triceratops mothers with their young. Along with viewing the enormous dinosaurs, guests are encouraged to engage in hands-on paleontological activites and discover exactly what it takes to search for the fossils of these great creatures.

DINOSAUR FACTS

What does the name mean?
Dinosaur means “terrible lizard” and refers to their size—dinosaurs were mostly big animals.

What are they?
Dinosaurs are a special group of reptiles. Paleontologists distinguish dinosaurs by their erect stance, features of their hip and hind limb regions, and by the presence of holes in the skull in certain areas.

When were dinosaurs alive?
Dinosaurs evolved about 215 million years ago from a more primitive reptile line. This was near the beginning of the Mesozoic Era. Dinosaurs appear to have thrived in all land habitats during the next 150 million years.

What happened to the dinosaurs?
Dinosaurs and a great many other animals failed to survive the great extinctions that marked the end of the Mesozoic Era about 65 million years ago. Two plausible theories put forth by scientists are the massive meteorite theory and the climate change and habitat loss theory.

Where have dinosaur remains been found?
Dinosaur remains have been found on all continents.

SEE & DO

WHAT CAN GUESTS DO AND LEARN IN THE DINOSAURS EXHIBIT?

• Guests can experience life in prehistoric times as they witness life-size dinosaurs in action.

• Informational presentations will enhance guests’ knowledge of dinosaurs, allowing them to “bone up” on their   prehistoric facts.

• Guests are given the opportunity to become paleontologists as they dig for fossils in the Dino Dig Box, move an   Apatosaurus skeleton with a crane and create art at the two rub stations.

• Guests can gain a true sense of how large and impressive dinosaurs were while understanding their struggle for life in   prehistoric times.

ROBOTICS

BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE ROBOTICS:

Who makes the dinosaurs?
The dinosaurs are manufactured by Kokoro Dinosaurs in Los Angeles, Calif., using the latest robotic technology.

How are the dinosaurs operated?
Inside each model is a metal skeleton and air cylinders. A source of compressed air outside the models activates the air cylinders inside the dinosaurs. As the air pressure varies at each action point, the control box turns valves on and off. When a valve is on, its air cylinder moves and the part it is attached to moves (head, tail, limbs). When the valve is off, the model is still.

What is the dinosaur made of?
The metal skeleton of each dinosaur is padded with foam to give the animal its shape. The foam is covered with a special resin skin. Different dyes and pigments have been mixed in with the resin to produce the different skin colors. Seams in the skin are closed with zippers and Velcro fasteners. The teeth are made with white plastic.

How does Kokoro know what the dinosaurs actually looked like?
Because scientists are continually gathering new information on prehistoric animals, the models are updated almost every year. Kokoro works closely with paleontologists at museums and universities throughout the United States and Canada in order to create the most realistic and anatomically correct representations possible. Scientists have made educated guesses as the true color of the dinosaurs’ skin, but no one will ever know the true color of the dinosaurs’ skin.

How does Kokoro know what sounds dinosaurs make?
No one knows what sounds the dinosaurs made, but scientists believe that they may have sounded like some modern reptiles. Crocodiles and alligators “bark,” bellow and hiss, especially during mating season. The models’ sounds come from a digitalized recording. The sounds are synchronized with specific movements making the roars all the more convincing.

PRESS ROOM

TICKET PRICING:
Adults (13-59) $23.95
Seniors (60+) $21.95
Children (2-12) 19.95

Dinosaurs! Press Release
Exhibition Fact Sheet