Blockbuster dinosaur exhibit roars into summer with new August close date
Mi-Sci expands its partnership with Ford Philanthropy for field trips, appearances at community events and museum visit vouchers
Detroit, Mich., July 7, 2025 – The Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci) is announcing a second extension of its blockbuster exhibition, Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family. Originally slated to depart in January and then extended through May, the exhibit will now remain on display through August 2025—giving visitors even more time to experience the thrill of standing face-to-face with life-size T. rex skeletons and learning the latest in paleontological discovery.
Underwritten by Ford Philanthropy, Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family has captivated audiences with its cutting-edge science, stunning fossil displays, and interactive experiences that bring ancient history to life.
As part of this expanded partnership, Mi-Sci and Ford Philanthropy will launch new programming this summer, including field trips for community organizations aligned with Ford Philanthropy’s mission to move people forward and upward in partnership with communities. Mi-Sci’s Traveling Science program will also appear at community events, and vouchers to visit the science center will be provided to participating organizations. Follow Mi-Sci on social media and check the website for updates as more details are announced in the coming weeks.
“This exhibit has been a runaway hit, and we simply can’t let it go just yet,” said Dr. Christian Greer, President & CEO of the Michigan Science Center. “The public response has been phenomenal, and we are so grateful to Ford Philanthropy for their generous support in helping us extend the exhibition through August and offering new ways to bring even more people to learn about these awe-inspiring predators up close. This means more families, more curious kids, and more dinosaur lovers can experience the coolest exhibit in Detroit this summer. If you haven’t seen it yet, now is the time. Don’t miss your chance to walk among these amazing creatures.”
“Ford Philanthropy is proud to support the extended run of Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family, bringing this special experience to even more families across Detroit in collaboration with some of our other dedicated partners,” said Renee Godfrey, Hometown Manager, Ford Philanthropy. “Together, we’re helping spark curiosity, inspire learning, and foster a deeper connection to science in our community, and that’s exciting.”
Perfect for a day of cool, indoor fun, the exhibition offers a thrilling escape from the summer heat and an unforgettable journey through time for visitors of all ages.
Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family showcases an extraordinary collection of tyrannosaur skeleton casts, fossils, and life-size displays that will transport guests back millions of years to the Cretaceous Period when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. The exhibition was created by the Australian Museum and is toured internationally by Evergreen Exhibitions.
With a focus on both entertainment and education, the exhibit features state-of-the-art interactive elements designed to inspire children, families, and anyone with a passion for paleontology. Visitors can dive into the science behind these ancient creatures, learn about recent discoveries, and experience the awe of standing in the shadow of a full-sized T. rex cast skeleton.
Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family provides an educational experience that explores the evolution of tyrannosaurs, their biology, and how these powerful creatures dominated their ecosystems. With hands-on displays, touchable fossils, and interactive digital features, the exhibit will engage visitors in paleontology like never before.
Sections in the Exhibit
- Diorama – Visitors get a close look at a fleshed-out model of a Guanlong surrounded by what would have been its natural habitat. Guanlongwas a relatively small theropod, reaching 3–3.5 m (9.8–11.5 ft) in length and 125 kg (276 lb) in body mass. Its fossils were found in the Shishugou Formation dating to about 160 million years ago, in the Oxfordian stage of the Late Jurassic period, 92 million years before its well-known relative Tyrannosaurus. It had a large crest on its head. Unlike later tyrannosaurs, Guanlong had three long fingers on its hands. Aside from its distinctive crest, it may have had a coat of primitive feathers.[1]
- Projection Tunnel – Exhibit-goers pass between two 30-foot-long screens and watch as tyrannosaurs run around their local city’s most famous landmarks wreaking havoc.
- Family Tree Touch Table – Visitors can hatch, feed, play with and eventually build a whole family tree of tyrannosaurs.
- Augmented Reality Screen – All sorts of tyrannosaurs surround in an AR-created adventure. Users can interact with the now-extinct creatures as they are brought back to life.
- Tyrannosaurus Rex – Young and old alike can get up close and personal with one of the world’s most complete T. rex skeletons. “Scotty’s” skeleton was cast from a fossilized Tyrannosaurus rex found in Saskatchewan, Canada. It stands at 15 feet tall. It is both magnificent and terrifying, but also playful. Scotty’s shadow appears to come to life, making hand puppets while the T. rex roars and growls.
- Daspletosaurus, Albertosaurs, Lynthronax– Visitors compare the size of a T. rex with its smaller cousins. Three full life-sized skeletons help give some context to the sheer size and terror that these carnivores would have induced.
- Wipeout – This interactive has a large screen that displays a view of the earth from space and a sensor pad that visitors jump on in the hope they can activate a meteor shower.
- Bite Force – This interactive gets visitors to squeeze the throttle and measure their strength against the bite force of a tyrannosaur, shark, lion and human.
- Timeline – Exhibit-goers get to cycle through the ages and see where and when each known dinosaur lived and where its fossils were discovered.
- Carnegie Specimens – Through a lending arrangement with Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the exhibition presents four never-before-toured T. rex fossils as part of the Tyrannosaurs — Meet the Family exhibition. These specimens include a partial upper jaw (with teeth), juvenile femur, pubic boot and a fused nasal (snout) bone. Rarely on display outside of their home museum, the fossils allow visitors to explore millions of years of prehistory without having to leave their hometown.
About Ford Philanthropy
Ford Philanthropy expands equitable access to essential services and prepares the next generation of leaders for careers in mobility, technology and the trades by harnessing Ford’s scale, resources and mobility expertise. Since 1949, Ford Philanthropy and Ford Motor Company have invested $2.4B in communities worldwide, working closely with community partners to co-create solutions that move people forward and upward. Through Ford Building Together, we are also leveraging the power of our employees, the reach of our dealer network, and the knowledge of nonprofit partners to build stronger, more resilient communities. To learn more, visit fordphilanthropy.org or join us at @FordPhilanthropy on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About The Michigan Science Center
The Michigan Science Center’s core mission is to advance STEM learning (science, technology, engineering, and math) across all ages and disciplines through discovery, innovation and interactive education. As a STEM hub, Mi-Sci focuses on developing and introducing expanded education programs, exhibits and initiatives to empower and enrich our children and community.
Mi-Sci’s goal is to be a pioneering force for the future of STEM education in Detroit and a dynamic destination in Michigan, making itself accessible, engaging, and transformative for all while fostering a vibrant, culturally relevant, community STEM hub where learning is deeply personal, profoundly social, and inherently joyful.
As a Smithsonian affiliate, Mi-Sci inspires nearly 250,000 curious minds of all ages every year in Detroit and across Michigan. Through our Traveling Science Program and distance learning initiative, ECHO, Mi-Sci reaches beyond our Detroit-based facility across Michigan. With the Toyota Engineering 4D Theater, live science demonstrations, lab activities and 220+ interactive exhibits, there are dozens of ways to customize your Mi-Sci visit. The Michigan Science Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and does not receive funding from Detroit or the state of Michigan. For more information, please call 313.577.8400 or visit the website, Mi-Sci.org.
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