NC Museum of Natural Sciences breaks ground on DinoLab and rare T. rex exhibit

NC Museum of Natural Sciences unveils world's first complete T. rex

According to Lindsay Zanno, the museum's head paleontologist, the Dueling Dinos exhibit represents the first time in known history that a T. rex has been 100% recovered. The Triceratops skeleton, too, is almost complete, and both specimens even contain skin impressions from the dinosaurs.

DinoLab is slated to open to the public in 2023, and leaders hope it will inspire the next generation of paleontologists and other scientists.

"No other museum in the world currently houses complete skeletons of these animals, and our people will get to see this restoration up close," said Congresswoman Deborah Ross, who attended Wednesday's ceremony.

"Students will have the opportunity to touch test, examine and understand fossils as well as watch the museum's hardworking scientists. It is critical that the next generation gets every opportunity available to them, and[this] will expose them to so many exciting careers in science."

There will also be regular livestreams and public announcements to keep the community updated on the specimens.

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said the exhibit and DinoLab will bring more visitors and money to Raleigh and Wake County but, more importantly, it will be exciting.

"I can't wait to bring my grandkids here," Baldwin said. "That's all I'm thinking about, is looking at their faces when they see this."

Reid Wilson, secretary of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, also expressed his passion for the project.

"On days when maybe I'm having a rough time in the offices, I just wander over here and watch the little kids' faces light up in awe and wonder," he said.

Wilson recalled the day the fossils arrived at the museum in April 2017, years before the public knew they existed.

"They've been in storage since, waiting for this lab to be built," Wilson said. "These incredible specimens are really found nowhere else in the world. When this lab opens, our state will become a must-see destination for dinosaur lovers of all ages, whether it's 4-year-olds or academics from around the world."