GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Step back in time and embark on an icy adventure at the Florida Museum of Natural History’s new “Antarctic Dinosaurs” exhibit, opening Oct. 7.

While Antarctica is a frozen land of snow today, this exciting exhibition reveals the lush habitat it once was 200 million years ago and the unique animals that called it home. Visitors can learn about rare dinosaurs and the history of the continent with real fossils and engaging interactives.

people looking at dinosaur model
Realistic models like this Cryolophosaurus teach visitors about some of the dinosaur species that lived in Antarctica and what is known about their behavior. Photo courtesy of Bria Woods for the Witte Museum

“This exhibit makes you feel as though you’ve been transported to Antarctica,” said Jonnie Dietz, exhibit developer at the Florida Museum. “It’s an immersive experience that feels like an adventure story – you get a historical perspective on scientific expeditions and then travel back in time to see some of the newest and coolest dinosaur discoveries.”

Giant skeletons, touchable casts of bones and interactive models bring Antarctica’s unique dinosaurs, like the Cryolophosaurus and Glacialisaurus, to life while more than 60 rare fossils and striking artwork depicting Jurassic life immerse visitors in the past.

The exhibit also educates guests on research in Antarctica and what goes into fieldwork and science in this polar environment. Interactives provide a hands-on experience for tasks like digging for fossils while real artifacts showcase modern and historical objects used in the field.

children taking part in fossil digging interactive
Use interactive equipment to learn how paleontologists dig for fossils in Antarctica. Photo courtesy of Bria Woods for the Witte Museum

“This exhibit really has everything,” Dietz said. “Visitors can see the parkas worn by scientists presently exploring Antarctica, touch a piece of stone containing real fossils, assemble a puzzle that shows how the continents used to fit together or even try their hand at a jackhammering interactive.”

“Antarctic Dinosaurs” also presents information on how the drastic change to the continent’s habitat from forest to ice can inform us about past, present and future changes to the world’s climate. Learn about the other animals and plants that inhabited this continent before the dinosaurs and how it became the frigid landscape that exists today.

Admission to “Antarctic Dinosaurs” is $10 for adults; $9 for Florida residents, seniors and non-University of Florida college students; $7 for ages 3 to 17; and free to museum members and UF students with a valid Gator 1 Card. Complete admission pricing is available online at www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/visit/plan. The Florida Museum will display the exhibit through April 21.

Antarctic Dinosaurs was developed by the Field Museum, Chicago in partnership with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Discovery Place – Charlotte, NC, and the Natural History Museum of Utah. Generous support was provided by Kenneth C. Griffin. This exhibit’s run is sponsored in part by Visit Gainesville/Alachua County, University of Florida Student Government and the Florida Division of Arts and Culture.

For more information, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/exhibits/antarctic-dinosaurs or call 352-846-2000.

-30-

Media Contact/Writer: Nikhil Srinivasan, nsrinivasan@floridamuseum.ufl.edu
Source: Jonnie Dietz, jdietz@flmnh.ufl.edu