Experience the Ultimate Dinosaurs exhibit at Fernbank Museum now through May 8, 2025 to meet a new breed of dinosaurs that lived 145 to 65 million years ago in the Southern Hemisphere. Explore how the break-up of the supercontinent Pangaea created different ecosystems and what impact that had on dinosaur evolution.
“This exhibit highlights continental drift [and the process of new species forming over time] with common ancestors evolving on separate ‘islands’ of South America, Africa, and Madagascar,” shared visiting paleontologist Brian Curtice PhD.
While the famous T. rex roamed what’s now North America, another massive predator featured in the exhibit, Giganotosaurus, roamed South America.
As you enter this immersive multi-sensory adventure, you’ll feel the thundering sounds of dinosaur feet like a pounding heartbeat as wall-size videos depict dinosaurs moving across the prehistoric landscape. Gaze up at 14 full-scale casts, touch authentic fossils, engage with other hands-on activities, and tap into the audio guide at UltimateDinosaurs.org with your phone and headphones (in English or Spanish). Signage is presented in English and French.
“Within the exhibit you’ll see herbivores and carnivores from the Southern Hemisphere,” said Maria Moreno, Fernbank Program Manager and content expert for Ultimate Dinosaurs.
Carnotaurus, the “meat-eating bull” standing 10 feet tall with horns over its eyes, is the first to greet you. Guests can bring this predator to life with one of Moreno’s favorite interactives, the augmented reality viewer.
“It’s like putting on a virtual reality headset,” Moreno said. “Point it at the part of the dinosaur you want to explore more of and it will tell you about the skin, the tail [and other relevant evolutionary traits].” For example, based on the discovery of Carnotaurus fossils with skin impressions, paleontologists believe that this therapod had scaley skin.
Other must do’s, for guests of all ages, include examining fossils, playing the continental drift game and giving small dinosaurs their due.
“I like that there are real fossils here,” said a mom visiting the exhibit with her four children. “That’s exciting because I don’t think most kids would have the opportunity to come in contact with them.” A fossil is any evidence of prehistoric life that is at least 10,000 years old, often including bones and footprints.
In addition to touching the fossils, Moreno encourages guests to sift for microfossils.
“Daddy look at the fossils I found!” exclaimed a daughter as she spun the sifter.
In the Continental Drift Game, up to five guests work together from their own podium screen to reassemble the southern supercontinent Gondwana like a puzzle.
“Continents are still drifting today,” Curtice explained. “Continents move a few inches a year. That movement over millions of years results in oceans separating plates, temperatures changing as one plate drifts faster south than another, and animals both adapting to environments.”
In an automated display, watch how scientists predict the continents will continue to drift well into the future.
To further blow your mind, Curtice explained that a common misperception is that all the dinosaurs have been discovered. “On average, one new one is named each week.”
Take Futalognkosaurus, a giant herbivore with a long neck, long tail, small head and four thick legs that was discovered in Argentina in the early 21st century. Stop by and measure yourself against a Futalognkosaurus leg. You’ll be glad the only remaining dinosaurs’ descendants today are the roughly 11,000 species of birds.
And check out the small flying dinosaur, Rahonavis, found in Madagascar who shared similar traits to today’s birds – three-toed feet, feathers, hollow bones and more.
“It’s all fascinating,” a dad told his daughter. The exhibit instills a sense of awe in children and adults alike.
Ultimate Dinosaurs is presented by the Science Museum of Minnesota.
