From a giant ‘squid’ to a T-rex: Science Centre’s biggest dino expo to open on Oct 11

SINGAPORE – From Oct 11, visitors stepping into a hall at the Science Centre Singapore will be transported more than 400 million years into the past, when prehistoric creatures still roamed the planet.

Greeting guests at the entrance to the centre’s latest exhibition, Dinosaurs | Extinctions | Us, is a full-scale model of one of the top predators of the Ordovician period – the Endoceras, a shelled cephalopod similar to a modern squid, that can grow up to 5.7m.

That exhibit is bathed in a shimmering ocean-blue light in a reference to how the area north of the tropics was almost entirely ocean during that period, which began more than 480 million years ago.

The Ordovician period is the first of six geological eras that visitors of the exhibition will be able to explore.

The exhibition will also take them on a journey through the late Devonian, Permian, Triassic and Cretaceous eras, and finally the Holocene epoch.

The Holocene epoch provides visitors with a glimpse of how animals have been driven to extinction by the arrival of humans, but also serves as a reminder that people have the power to protect and safeguard the earth’s remaining biodiversity.

Even though the exhibit spans just 3,000 sq m – less than half the size of a typical football field – it will be the centre’s largest-ever dinosaur showcase.

Visitors will learn about prehistoric life and the five major mass extinction events through interactive activities and 90 captivating artefacts, including 33 rare fossils and 60 full-scale models. 

As visitors wander from one period to another, they will learn about different triggers of mass extinction, such as massive volcanic activity and rapid changes in global temperature.

Modern climate change, caused by ever-increasing amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels, is believed by some scientists to be causing the planet’s sixth mass extinction event.

Jointly organised by Science Centre Singapore and the NUS Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, the exhibition brings together the Dinosaurs of Patagonia exhibition curated by Museo Paleontologico Egidio Feruglio and the Six Extinctions exhibition by Gondwana Studios.

The exhibition starts on Oct 11. Its end date has not yet been announced.

Ms Tham Mun See, chief executive of the Science Centre Board, said during a media preview of the exhibition on Oct 9 that it is far more than a showcase of prehistoric life.

“It is a powerful narrative about survival, a call to examine the earth’s deep history and consider our role in shaping what comes next. Through stunning fossils and immersive experiences, we strive to kindle fascination and encourage decisive action in response to our modern biodiversity emergency,” she said.

For example, specimens from the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum will offer guests a more “updated” perspective on extinctions by highlighting the threats faced by wildlife due to human activity. These include risks faced by wild animals due to deforestation, hunting and introduced species.

The exhibits feature animals that are all extirpated, or locally extinct. One example is the cream-coloured giant squirrel. They were thought to still be around in Singapore in the 1980s and 1990s.

Interactive activities are located throughout the exhibition. 

At a part of the exhibition depicting the Triassic period, for instance, visitors can use brushes to “excavate” fossils on a touchscreen. 

Those curious about how the skin of a dinosaur feels will be able to touch a replica of the skin of Carnotaurus sastrei, at a segment of the exhibition on the Cretaceous period.

A documentary awaits visitors, where they can learn about the 2014 excavations of the Patagotitan mayorum, a 40m full-scale replica of which is part of the exhibition. Actual fossils from the dinosaur, including its dorsal rib, femur, and caudal vertebrae, will also be on display.

When scientists discovered the fossils of the dinosaur in Chubut, Argentina, more than 180 parts of the skeleton were found in an excellent state of preservation.

It is the most complete skeleton of its kind ever unearthed, and it is considered one of the most significant paleontological discoveries. 

Tickets to the exhibition are available for purchase at

For Singaporeans and permanent residents, tickets cost $29.90 for adults and $25.90 for children. The prices are inclusive of complimentary admission to Science Centre Singapore.

Standard admission ticket prices are $39.90 for adults and $35.90 for children.

Age: 101 million years (Cretaceous period)

Size: About 40m in length; about 6m in height at the shoulder, or about 8m to 9m when its neck is raised.

Weight: About 55,000kg

Diet: Herbivorous

Fun facts: The quarry that held the remains of this dinosaur was found to also contain the real teeth of a different type of dinosaur known as a theropod. Paleontologists believe the teeth belong to the Tyrannotitan chubutensis, a carnivorous dinosaur, which may have been scavenging remains of the Patagotitan.

Age: 113 million to 100 million years ago (Cretaceous period)

Size: 12m in length; 4m in height

Weight: About 6,000kg

Diet: Carnivorous. It has 57 serrated teeth, and fed mainly on herbivorous dinosaurs.

Fun facts: Tyrannotitan was a very fast dinosaur. Running on its hind legs, it is estimated to have reached top speeds of approximately 32kmh.

Age: 230 million years ago (Late Triassic period)

Size: Up to 6m in length; 1.8m in height

Weight: Up to 350kg

Diet: Carnivorous

Fun facts: Affectionately known as “the grandfather of dinosaurs”, it is thought to be one of the earliest known saurischian dinosaurs, or lizard-hipped dinosaurs. It was a predatory dinosaur that stalked north-western Argentina during the late Triassic period.

Age: Cretaceous Period

Size: About 13m in length, although its true height is not definitive. Estimates range from about 4m to 6m depending on its pose.

Weight: Estimated to be about 8,800kg

Diet: Carnivorous

Fun facts: This is believed to be the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex specimen ever found. It was found by Mr Robert Gebhardt, a high school principal from Eastend, Saskatchewan, in Canada. The National Geographic reported that it was named “Scotty” after a bottle of scotch, when the field crew raised a toast to it after its discovery.