We already knew that SUE the T. rex was moving out of the Field Museum's Stanley Field Hall in early February, making way for the cast of an enormous dinosaur called the titanosaur. Today, the museum revealed even more new elements that will greet visitors, including life-size replicas of a flying reptile called the pterosaur and a collection of hanging gardens.
The additions to the museum's foyer are part of a series of changes that celebrate the Field Museum's 125th anniversary and are the result of a gift from Citadel CEO Kenneth C. Griffin, the wealthiest man in Illinois. Field Museum scientists worked with a studio called Blue Rhino to create the flock of pterosaurs (with wings spanning 35 feet) that will hang from the ceiling and also help point visitors in the direction of SUE's new home in the "Evolving Planet" exhibition, beginning in spring 2019.
The hanging gardens are constructed from 3D-printed plastic and will contain more than 1,000 plants that are inspired by the types of wildlife that were present on Earth during the time of the dinosaurs. Visitors will be able to see the gardens up-close during special events, when the hydroponic structures are lowered to ground level.
If you haven't taken a selfie with SUE lately, you'll need to get your photo before the deconstruction of the dino skeleton begins on February 4. Once SUE is removed, the titanosaur, pterosaurs and hanging gardens will gradually be installed in Stanley Field Hall—everything should be in place by late May.
Take a look at some renderings of Stanley Field Hall's new layout and photos of the pterosaur replicas below.
Illustration: Courtesy the Field Museum
Photograph: Courtesy the Field Museum
Photograph: Courtesy the Field Museum