The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) is currently serving as the world-premiere venue for a new traveling exhibition, “Ice Dinosaurs: The Lost World of the Alaskan Arctic.” The exhibition opened to the public on March 9, offering visitors the opportunity to be the first to explore the stunning recent discoveries of dinosaurs from the Alaskan Arctic, all new additions to the scientific record of these extraordinary creatures.
The exhibition explores paleontology’s final frontier, diving deep into the history of Arctic dinosaurs, including a feathered tyrannosaur, a giant species of raptor and tiny hatchlings of herbivorous horned and duck-billed dinosaurs. Visitors enjoy this immersive, interactive and educational experience, featuring groundbreaking discoveries, animatronic displays, real fossils (some that are touchable) and more.
Built around groundbreaking discoveries that challenge the traditional understanding of paleontology, “Ice Dinosaurs” invites visitors to learn about the unique adaptations of polar dinosaurs who spent their entire lives above the Arctic Circle, enduring cold, dark and snowy winter conditions. The scientific evidence supporting them being non-migratory, unexpectedly nesting in the Arctic, and being warm-blooded is presented as the exhibition courses through a year in the life of these animals, more than 73 million years ago.
The exhibition combines more than 20 animatronic and static dinosaurs, two full skeletons, two skulls and numerous mammals and fish. Interactive games and experiences invite guests of all ages to master STEAM concepts while learning about new and exciting dinosaur species still being discovered today in the high Arctic.
“Hosting the world premiere of ‘Ice Dinosaurs’ reinforces our commitment to bringing in brand-new, cutting-edge exhibitions for the Jacksonville community to experience first,” said Anthony Mortimer, vice president of exhibitions and education at MOSH. “Dinosaurs captivate the imagination because new details about their lives are still being discovered now, millions of years after the species' extinction. The mystery surrounding these incredible creatures continues to fuel our collective interest in them, and we are looking forward to sharing this one-of-a-kind experience with Northeast Florida residents and visitors throughout the spring and summer.”
The exhibition is based on the research of paleontologists Gregory Erickson of Florida State University and Patrick Druckenmiller of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, co-directors of the Arctic Paleo-Research Consortium (ARPC), a multinational group of professional and citizen scientists who seek to unravel the mysteries of dinosaurian polar occupation. Imagine Exhibitions will donate a portion of proceeds from this exhibition to the APRC to continue this groundbreaking research.
“The debut of ‘Ice Dinosaurs’ at MOSH provides the first public viewing of the lost world of Arctic dinosaurs, the quest to find their fossils and the science behind the discoveries,” said Erickson. “Guests will find themselves immersed in the Alaskan paleo-Arctic 73 million years ago where they will embark on a journey throughout the seasons, witnessing how a plethora of newly discovered species, including feathered raptors and tyrannosaurs, unexpectedly thrived in the harsh polar environment.”
“We always strive to bring new and interesting exhibits to more people around the world,” said Tom Zaller, president and CEO of Imagine Exhibitions. “‘Ice Dinosaurs’ is the newest exhibition by Imagine and promises to shed light on fresh discoveries in the prehistoric world. I’m excited for visitors in the Jacksonville area to embark on a journey that unveils incredible new details about ice dinos, and to unlock mysteries that, until now, have been frozen in time.”
“Ice Dinosaurs,” created by Imagine Exhibitions, runs through Sept. 6. Admission to the traveling exhibition is included in the price of general admission. Admission is free for children age 2 and younger and MOSH members. For more information or to purchase advance tickets, go to themosh.org.
