Dinosaurs to Head Down-Under

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6AM MONDAY 23 MAY 2016 Dinosaurs to head down-under

Te Manawa will soon hatch its biggest exhibition yet, with the London Natural History Museum’s Dinosaur Encounter arriving in Palmerston North this September.

Featuring nine moving dinosaur models brought to life by state-of-the-art animatronics, Dinosaur Encounter will give visitors a thrilling glimpse into life on earth as it was seventy million years ago.

It is the first time the exhibition has been shown in the Southern Hemisphere.

A massive Tyrannosaurus Rex stands as the 4.5m-tall centrepiece of Dinosaur Encounter, and will be joined by other well-known creatures such as Triceratops, Ankylosaurus and Ornithomimus.

The gallery will be transformed into a primordial jungle for the massive beasts to inhabit. Reproductions of fossil remains will add breadth to the experience.

The exhibition has been developed by the Natural History Museum in London, where designers and scientists worked closely together to create an unprecedented level of realism.

“We're so excited to bring this exhibition to New Zealand for the first time,” says Te Manawa Chief Executive Andy Lowe. “Dinosaurs are a constant in the public imagination. There’s no better lightning rod for both science and natural history.

“We have had tremendous feedback from the business community already, which will help us amplify the experience through our educational programmes that will link local prehistoric events and our own natural history. It is an ambitious event for us, and the support we have received so far is absolutely vital to its success.”

Te Manawa will be the exclusive North Island venue for Dinosaur Encounter, following the success of its current international exhibition “Frida Kahlo – Her Photos” which has been drawing visitors from throughout the country

Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith is praising Te Manawa for securing the show. “This will be the second exclusive international exhibition to visit Palmerston North this year, and another great draw-card for our City,” he says. “The advantage of being so centrally located makes us an ideal place to host high-calibre experiences such as this, and I am sure people will be excited to meet these giants up close.”

Dinosaur Encounter will open on 24 September and runs until 26 February next year.

For more information contact [email protected] or visit www.temanawa.co.nz/media-dinosaurs