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Cretaceous Re-Created: “Dino Adventure” Set to Thunder into the Midstate

The Cretaceous period is about to stomp into Whitaker Center this summer. Through life-sized animatronics, interactive simulations and 3D IMAX animations towering over five stories tall, this array of presentations will “give people a real sense of what dinosaurs actually look like,” said Steve Bishop, vice president of Science and IMAX Programs.

As of June 1, the Harsco Science Center will be home to “Dino Adventure,” an exhibit featuring robotic models of the largest animals ever to roam the planet, while the Select Medical IMAX Theater will complement this showcase by presenting “Dinosaurs Alive! 3D” on the mega-screen.

Dino Adventure’s main attraction is 14 meticulously detailed animatronic dinosaurs on display inside Whitaker Center’s Gloria M. Olewine Gallery. “These are replicas of dinosaurs as scientists believed they looked [like],” said Bishop. Smaller species are re-created at their actual size while the largest lizards are scaled to half-size, “so we could get them in through the door,” explained Bishop. That includes the Tyrannosaurus rex, which, at 23 feet long, is the Dino Adventure’s centerpiece.

“I’m sure that the T. rex will be a favorite of a lot of our guests,” noted Bishop, “but we have some more obscure species that are pretty interesting.” The varied collection includes the winged Pteranodon, as well as two aquatic reptiles that exemplify the diversity of dinosaur morphology. “The Elasmosaurus and Mosasaurus are presented in a marine-like setting,” said Bishop. “Visitors will look in through portholes to see them as if they were in a tank at an aquarium.”

The computer-controlled dinosaurs engage in a wide range of movements that demonstrate dinosaur behaviors from feeding to combat. Among the most exciting are the Pachycephalosauruses, “which used their 6-inch thick skulls to engage in ramming behaviors, vying for the attention of females,” said Bishop. Familial bonds are emphasized by “a long-necked dinosaur called the Corythasaurus that protects a nest of her eggs and a 21-foot long adult Triceratops with two juvenile triceratopses that are about 4 ½ feet long.”

iStock_000016010551LargeWhile walking among the enormous animatronics will give visitors a sense of the dinosaurs’ physical presence, the accompanying “Be the Dinosaur” exhibit offers an entirely different perspective of their daily existence. “‘Be the Dinosaur’ allows you to see the world through the eyes of a dinosaur,” said Bishop. 

The exhibit consists of a group of four simulation pods that gives attendees the opportunity to guide their favorite species through an immersive computer-animated ecosystem. “Visitors can choose to be one of several different dinosaurs and control that dinosaur’s actions. They can make the dinosaur walk, run, eat, fight and explore its world.” Younger guests can also take part in “Dino Dig”—a hands-on introduction to the field of paleontology. “Kids can climb in and uncover replica fossils of dinosaur bones buried in the exhibit area,” said Bishop.

Narrated by Academy Award-winner Michael Douglas, “Dinosaurs Alive! 3D” is a 40-minute documentary that follows a team of American Museum of Natural History paleontologists as they travel from New Mexico to Mongolia in search of new species of dinosaurs. The fossilized remains are then brought to life through scientifically accurate computer animation. “‘Dinosaurs Alive!’ uses the “you are there” feel of IMAX to take viewers back to the time of the dinosaurs,” said Bishop. “It’s very realistic, and, because the screen is five stories high, you get to see them full-sized.”

Audiences will learn how the discovery and study of fossils help scientists better understand prehistoric life and witness animated re-creations of Velociraptors, Protoceratops and Seismosaurus as they hunt for food, protect their young and face the catastrophic forces of nature. The film also examines the future of paleontology—a potentially thriving field—since these scientists estimate that less than 2 percent of all the dinosaur species have been discovered.

“Visitors will have the chance to see the full lifecycle of dinosaurs,” concluded Bishop. “This interactive exhibit and IMAX film bring these amazing creatures to life and let us explore their world like never before.”

“Dino Adventure” and “Dinosaurs Alive! 3D” have a limited summer engagement at Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, 222 Market St., Harrisburg, from June 1 through Sept. 1. Admission to “Dino Adventure” is included in the standard Harsco Science Center ticket price of $16 for adults and $12.50 for juniors. IMAX tickets for “Dinosaurs Alive! 3D” are $9.50 for adults and $8 for juniors, with combination passes available at a discounted rate. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit WhitakerCenter.org or call 717-214-2787.

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