A bronze replica of the Smithsonian's new T. rex skeleton stands in Montana. Photograph courtesy of the National Museum of Natural History.
The Smithsonian took possession Tuesday morning of 16 crates containing a nearly complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, an event 66 million years and one federal shutdown in the making.
The bones arrived in a FedEx truck after traveling more than 2,000 miles from Montana, where they were discovered in 1988 by rancher Kathy Wankel on federal land. The arrival of the fossilized beast in DC marks the first time the Smithsonian has possessed a T. rex this complete since its natural history museum opened in 1911. Only half a dozen comparable skeletons—this one is estimated to have 80 to 85 percent of its parts—have been unearthed before. The T. rex was supposed to get here last October, but last year’s federal shutdown forced the Smithsonian to delay the shipment.
Museum officials showed off body parts like the T. rex’s banana-sized teeth and arm bone, not much bigger than a human arm, lending credence to the image of a Tyrannosaur stomping around while weilding tiny arms. Visitors will get to the disassembled bones for the next six months as museum employees unpack, repair, and catalog them with several methods including 3-D imaging.
On October 15 (also known as National Fossil Day), they’ll be packed up and shipped out again: “The Nation’s T. rex,” as the Smithsonian calls the skeleton, is going to Canada for a while. The bones will be sent to a facility in Toronto where they’ll be mounted on the armature that will prop up the assembled skeleton when it goes on full display when the Smithsonian’s dinosaur hall re-opens in 2019 after a five-year, $48 million renovation beginning this month.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Tyrannosaurus Rex Arrives at Smithsonian
The dinosaur bones will be on display until October when they go to Canada. The assembled skeleton will return in 2019.
The Smithsonian took possession Tuesday morning of 16 crates containing a nearly complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, an event 66 million years and one federal shutdown in the making.
The bones arrived in a FedEx truck after traveling more than 2,000 miles from Montana, where they were discovered in 1988 by rancher Kathy Wankel on federal land. The arrival of the fossilized beast in DC marks the first time the Smithsonian has possessed a T. rex this complete since its natural history museum opened in 1911. Only half a dozen comparable skeletons—this one is estimated to have 80 to 85 percent of its parts—have been unearthed before. The T. rex was supposed to get here last October, but last year’s federal shutdown forced the Smithsonian to delay the shipment.
Museum officials showed off body parts like the T. rex’s banana-sized teeth and arm bone, not much bigger than a human arm, lending credence to the image of a Tyrannosaur stomping around while weilding tiny arms. Visitors will get to the disassembled bones for the next six months as museum employees unpack, repair, and catalog them with several methods including 3-D imaging.
On October 15 (also known as National Fossil Day), they’ll be packed up and shipped out again: “The Nation’s T. rex,” as the Smithsonian calls the skeleton, is going to Canada for a while. The bones will be sent to a facility in Toronto where they’ll be mounted on the armature that will prop up the assembled skeleton when it goes on full display when the Smithsonian’s dinosaur hall re-opens in 2019 after a five-year, $48 million renovation beginning this month.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Most Popular in News & Politics
A Historic DC Black Church Now Owns the Proud Boys’ Name
OPM’s New Email System Prompts Lawsuit
Trump’s Attempts to Shrink the Federal Workforce Could Hit the DC Area’s Economy Hard
In the Event of a US Invasion, Canadians Really Like Their Chances
What’s Going On With These Allegedly Stranded Astronauts?
Washingtonian Magazine
February Issue: 100 Very Best Restaurants
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
These DC Food Activists Were Behind the Ranked-Choice-Voting Initiative
A Biography of Perle Mesta Sheds Light on a Famed DC Figure
Inside the Library of Congress’s Artificial-Aging Lab
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This January
More from News & Politics
DC-Area Congressional Offices Say They’re Getting Flooded With Phone Calls About Trump
Chris Hayes Knows Why Tech Makes Us Feel Bad
UDC’s President Wants You to Think Differently About the City’s Public University
Spoons Are Becoming a Symbol of Feds’ Resistance to Trump and Musk
It’s Deadline Day for Feds Pondering Trump’s Resignation Offer, Wizards Trade Kyle Kuzma, and Deer Hunting Will Not Come to Falls Church Anytime Soon
Figure Skating Event to Honor Lives Lost in DCA Plane Crash
How to Stay Grounded Right Now, According to DC Therapists
Do Trump and Musk Want to Control the Weather Now?