The World's Largest Dinosaurs August 17, 2011

This major new exhibition will take visitors beyond the bones and into the amazing anatomy of a uniquely super-sized group of dinosaurs that thrived for 140 million years: the long-necked and long-tailed sauropods, which ranged in size from 15 to 150 feet long. Drawing on the latest science that looks in part to existing organisms to understand these long-extinct giants, 'The World's Largest Dinosaurs' will answer such intriguing questions as how an extremely large animal breathes, eats, moves, and survives, by illuminating how size and scale are related to basic biological functions. Innovative interactive exhibits, including the centerpiece, a life-sized, detailed model of a 60-foot Mamenchisaurus, will take visitors inside these giants' bodies, shedding light on how heart rate, respiration, metabolism, and reproduction are linked to size. The exhibition will also include specimens from the Museum's world-renowned fossil collection, including sauropod limbs and brain endocasts, vertebrae, skin impressions, and a variety of other ancient specimens. An excavation at the end of the exhibition will introduce visitors to how dinosaurs are discovered in the field through a replicated dig site.