ATLANTA: The continent of Antarctica was not always covered in ice and devoid of life. The area was lush and temperate some 200 million years ago, with dinosaurs the size of rhinoceroses and crocodiles living there. The newest exhibition at Fernbank Museum, ‘Antarctic Dinosaurs,’ will open on October 9 and unveil this long-forgotten continent. For the first time, visitors will get the opportunity to examine actual Antarctica fossils up close, as well as full-scale reconstructions of dinosaurs and their natural habitat from the time they lived.
An ice sledge used by one of the first people to set foot on Antarctic soil over a century ago will be on display, as will thick red parkas used by scientists now working in the region. This attraction provides insight into what it’s like to live and work in the coldest place on earth.
Guests will learn about the research being done in Antarctica and then see the results of that work: a swarm of dinosaurs. Guests will see the most amazing discoveries from the cold continent up to and personal with actual bones and artefacts on exhibit. Authentic relics will be on display and naturalistic dioramas with life-like sculptures of several Antarctic dinosaurs. There are a lot of elaborate dioramas and sculptures depicting Antarctica as it was hundreds of millions of years ago.
A 25-foot-long predator dubbed Cryolophosaurus (“frozen crested lizard”), a rhino-sized herbivore named Glacialisaurus, and two new species that haven’t been officially identified are on display at the show. In this case, the new species of dinosaurs are sauropodomorphs, distant cousins of Brachiosaurus and titanosaurs, two gigantic, four-legged herbivorous dinosaurs.
VP of Programming Bobbi Hohmann remarked, “This year marks Fernbank’s 20th anniversary of Giants of the Mesozoic, so it seems only right that we would present another groundbreaking dinosaur show.” Scientists who work on these groundbreaking discoveries and contributions to science go to great lengths to bring their findings to light, as seen by the exhibition, Antarctic Dinosaurs.
Antarctic Dinosaurs includes interactive features as well as static images. Through a virtual Antarctic trip, guests may study the science behind the northern lights and the midnight sun and witness how the continents once fit together by touching genuine Antarctica fossils, solving puzzles about tectonic plates, and more.
Tickets and information for visitors: ‘Antarctic Dinosaurs’ is free for Fernbank members and includes general entry tickets. Tickets must be purchased in advance at FernbankMuseum.org for $20 for adults, $19 for seniors, and $18 for children*. Tickets are timed and must be purchased online ahead of time. Visit FernbankMuseum.org to learn more about the museum, buy tickets, or get answers to commonly asked questions.
In addition to nighttime hours during Fernbank After Dark** on October 8 (exclusive exhibit preview), November 12 and December 10, ‘Antarctic Dinosaurs’ will be on display every day from Saturday, October 9, 2021, through Monday, January 2, 2022, from 10 am to 5 pm.
No-show tickets will cost $19.95-$21.95 and may not be available owing to capacity restrictions imposed by safety regulations. *This event is for those who are at least 21 years old.