Overview
If you've watched anything in the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World franchise, or streamed David Attenborough's Prehistoric Planet, you'll know that dinosaurs spanned a range of shapes and sizes — but plenty were big. Huge, even. Massive, in fact. We all think of the Tyrannosaurus rex when we think of hefty dinos, but it was nowhere near the largest.
Scientists believe that that title went to the Patagotitan — that it was the largest-known land animal, in fact, and reached 37 metres in length. Yes, that's giant, and visitors to Queensland Museum will be able get a glimpse for themselves thanks to the South Brisbane venue's upcoming Dinosaurs of Patagonia exhibition.
Displaying fossils from South America from Friday, March 17–Monday, October 2, 2023, Dinosaurs of Patagonia will feature 13 dino species — including the behemoth that is Patagotitan, which also weighed 70 tonnes and was first discovered in 2008. Also sizeable: the six-tonne Tyrannotitan, which is considered one of the most ferocious predators of the Cretaceous period.
Tyrannotitan
"The sheer size of the dinosaur skeletons in Dinosaurs of Patagonia is something you truly have to see for yourself to get an understanding of these massive, majestic creatures which once roamed the Earth," said Queensland Museum Network CEO Dr Jim Thompson, announcing the exhibition.
"Dinosaurs have always been hugely popular at the museum, and this incredible exhibition brings together original dinosaur fossils dating back millions of years, full-scale casts of dinosaurs and new discoveries," Dr Thompson continued.
First femur of Patagotitan found at La Flecha farm.
Dinosaurs of Patagonia isn't just looking at giant critters, however, even though they're an enormous feature in multiple senses. At the other end of the scale, the Manidens condorensis will also be on display, with the small herbivore dino measuring 75-centimetres tall and among the smallest known to-date.
Overall, the focus is on creatures that roamed the earth during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods — so between 252–66 million years ago.
Coming to Queensland after its about-to-finish current run in Western Australia, the exhibition also spans 16 skeleton casts, plus 3D animations and video of dinosaurs and digs — and lets attendees peer on like they're palaeontologists themselves, as well as seeing impressive fossils such as a real 2.4-metre Patagotitan femur.
Tyrannotitan
Dinosaurs of Patagonia will display at Queensland Museum, corner of Grey and Melbourne streets, South Bank, South Brisbane, from Friday, March 17, 2023–Monday, October 2, 2023. For more information, or to join the wait list for tickets, head to the exhibition's website.
Top image: Patagotitan, MEF. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio. D Pol.