T. rex cetera: Dinosaurs and Other Mesozoic Monsters

See a huge full mount T Rex and 30 other full skeletons of animals, reptiles and other specimens.

Representatives of the Mesozoic Era of geologic time, including the Tyrannosaurus Rex known as Stan, have arrived at Fort Hays State University's Sternberg Museum of Natural History for an extended stay.

"T. rex cetera: Dinosaurs and Other Mesozoic Monsters," opened May 24, 2008 and will run until March 29, 2009, features Stan, at 70 percent the second most complete Tyrannosaurus skeleton ever found, and more than 30 other full skeletons of animals that lived during the 185-million-year span of the Mesozoic Era, comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Also included are almost 40 other specimens, including many skulls and other bones. The exhibition showcases fossil casts from the private collection of Dr. Jack Hankla, a Danbury, Ky., dentist, whose interest in paleontology and fossil collecting has resulted in one of the most significant private collections in the United States.

"We decided to go with all fossil casts, primarily because the actual fossils are just too heavy and can't be put together for an open-mount display," said Greg Walters, exhibits director of the Sternberg Museum.

"This exhibit has never been seen anywhere before," he said, explaining that it is compiled from Hankla's collections. Some of the individual specimens have been loaned out for various displays, but this is the largest exhibit ever constructed from the Hankla specimens. Some individual pieces have never been displayed anywhere.

Walters said the exhibit has representatives from every major group of dinosaurs that lived during the Mesozoic Era -- the various tyrannosaurs, carnosaurs, raptors, stegosaurs, ankylosaurs, hadrosaurs, ceatopsians, sauropods and others. It also includes non-dinosaurs such as mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, crocodiles, a complete giant turtle Archelon (15 feet from flipper to flipper), flying reptiles and others.

The fossils from which the casts were made were found on five continents and lived in the air, on land and in the seas.

Museum hours are Tue-Sat 9am-7pm, and Sun. 1-7pm. The museum is closed on Mondays. Admission for non-members is $6 for adults (ages 13 to 59), $4 for seniors (60 and over) and youths (ages 4 through 12), and $3 for FHSU students with student ID. Admission is free for museum members and children 3 and under.

Location
3000 Sternberg Dr
Sternberg Museum of Natural History
Hays, KS 67601
Phone: (785) 628-4286
Toll Free: (877) 332-1165

Website
http://www.fhsu.edu/sternberg

E-Mail
bpenka@fhsu.edu

Features
Restroom facilities, Accessible parking/accommodations, Admission charge