ROARsome turnout for Te Papa’s Tyrannosaurs

3 February 2015

MEDIA RELEASE

ROARsome turnout for Te Papa’s Tyrannosaurs

Te Papa is saying goodbye to its hugely popular Tyrannosaurs exhibition, which has lured more than 120,000 visitors over its five month lifespan.

Sunday 8 February is the exhibition’s last day.

“These massive creatures have drawn massive crowds,” says Te Papa Chief Executive Rick Ellis.

“The exhibition has captured the imagination – from toddlers jumping in the giant footprints to grandparents posing for selfies with the skeletons.”

Tyrannosaurs is the fifth most popular paid for exhibition since Te Papa opened in 1998.

Mr Ellis says that scheduling family-focused exhibitions over summer is a win for both Te Papa and for Wellington.

“Families have been stopping by as they cross between the islands, as well as making special trips to the city.”

The exhibition was accompanied by diverse public events, including talks from some of the world’s foremost dinosaur experts, tyrannosaur-themed sleepovers in the museum, and ‘kid curators’ guiding tours.

More than 6,000 school students have visited the exhibition.

The Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family exhibition comes from the Australian Museum, and includes fossils and carefully constructed casts illustrating 100 million years of the tyrannosaur’s emergence into one of the world’s most fearsome predators. The exhibition combines cutting edge technology and multimedia with the latest research into the tyrannosaurs’ family tree.

Te Papa would like to thank Principal Partner Mitre 10 MEGA Petone, Upper Hutt and Porirua and Founding Partner Wellington City Council for their support for the exhibition.

Notes to editors:

• Te Papa’s Tyrannosaur ‘kid curators’ will be on hand in the exhibition on its last day on Sunday 8 February between 10am-12pm. Media are welcome to attend but need to register their attendance in advance for planning purposes.

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