The first real Tyrannosaurus rex to be exhibited in England for over a century will arrive in Nottingham this summer.
The skeleton of Titus, discovered in the Montana Badlands in 2018, will be revealed for the first time at the Wollaton Hall Natural History Museum, the focus of a new exhibition set to explore his life and environment.
Opening on Sunday 4th July 2021 and running until August 2022, the exhibition, Titus: T. rex is King, has been specially designed around the T. rex, himself, with digital and interactive virtual media displays that will immerse visitors in his extraordinary journey from discovery in the Montana Badlands in the USA, through the experience of excavation, curation, examination, rebuild and final reveal. The exhibition, taking over some 4,000 square feet, explores the legend of the T. rex and is also set to dispel some myths about this immense iconic dinosaur – that lived over 66 million years ago.
Arts Council England provided the initial funding of £250,000 to secure the exhibition for Nottingham and the UK, allowing Wollaton Hall Natural History Museum in Nottingham to assemble a unique, expert team of palaeontologists, conservationists, and digital display specialists to tell the story of Titus, and his world.
Dr David Hone, the Senior Lecturer in Zoology at Queen Mary, University of London in the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, internationally renowned palaeontologist and part of the exhibition development team tasked with bringing Titus to life, said: “Visitors will be able to explore the world of Titus and take a closer look at his particular features – his crushing bite, incredible eyesight and keen sense of smell, air-filled bones, weight, size and speed. And then look more closely at his make-up of muscle and tissue, with 3D scans of his bones to examine and handle – and try to decide if in fact he was covered in scales or feathers or both.”
Rachael Evans, Museums Development Manager at Nottingham City Museums explains: “Coming face to face with an actual T. rex is an experience very few in the world can claim. Even in skeleton form, Titus’ power and presence is unmistakable – we have had to dedicate the largest room at Wollaton Hall just to him alone.
“Titus T. rex is King will take you on a truly unique journey discovering all there is to know about this dinosaur – the largest predator in its ecosystem. The sheer size and scale of the skeleton takes your breath away. It is a truly an amazing discovery and an absolute must-see.”
Nigel Hawkins, Director of Culture & Libraries at Nottingham City Council, said: “We could not be more thrilled that Titus will be making his world exclusive debut at Wollaton Hall, particularly as he will be the only real T. rex to be seen in most of Europe. Plans for the exhibition look spectacular – and it’s a wonderful opportunity for visitors to explore the city and wider region.”
Kinga Kapias, Marketing and Communications Manager at Visit Nottinghamshire, said: “We are thrilled that this extraordinary exhibition will soon be stomping in to Wollaton Hall, which already has a fantastic legacy for dinosaur-themed experiences following the roaring success of Dinosaurs of China and Jurassic Kingdom at Wollaton Hall in recent years.
“As the only T-Rex on display in the UK, for most people this will be the one chance they get in their lifetimes to come face to face with this massive, majestic creature which walked the earth millions of years ago. The exhibition is filled with interactive and immersive elements to create an unique and unforgettable day out for adults and children alike, of course with COVID-safety measures in place. We know this will be hugely popular with tourists visiting the region during its 14-month residence here and we are optimistic that it will play a key role in the recovery of our local visitor economy.”
Wollaton Hall has an international reputation for attracting rare and previously unseen dinosaur exhibits to the UK. In 2017, it staged the hugely successful Dinosaurs of China exhibition with a selection of fossils and skeletons from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing and the Long Hao Institute of Geology and Paleontology Inner Mongolia, that had never been seen outside of Asia before.
Tickets for TITUS T. REX IS KING are on sale now, set at £12.00 for an adult, £8.00 for a child (under 16 years), students and concessions, £32.00 for a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children under 16 years) and under 3s and carers have no entry fees to pay.
Booking fees & car parking charges apply. With covid safety measures in place, booking in advance is essential.
There will also be a range of special merchandise developed to accompany the exhibition including a limited-edition book, cataloguing in even greater detail, the story of Titus.
To book tickets and for more information, visit the website at www.wollatonhall.org.uk/titus