From Delaware County News Network: Dinosaur Museum set to open at Granite Run Mall
Granite Run Mall is set to become the first shopping Mall in the region to house a museum.
Dino Don’s Dinosaurium, the brainchild of explorer, author and television personality, Don Lessem, opens to the public Saturday, Nov. 5. Meet the creative team behind this unique new museum via a series of exclusive videos on DelcoNewsNetwork.com.
Advisor to the Jurassic Park film, excavator of the world's largest dinosaurs, and owner of America's largest private collection of dinosaurs, “Dino Don,” has teamed with Media's Granite Run Mall to create the Dinosaurium, transforming a Mall store space into a hybrid museum / under-the-Big-Top-show and providing kids, families and students of all ages the opportunity to see dinosaurs up close and experience dinosaurs as never before. Visitors to the carnival-styled mall museum will not only see dinosaurs, but hear them and smell them.
The exhibit will include a dozen rare dinosaurs up to 30 feet long, including the infamous Velociraptor from the original Jurassic Park film. The Granite Run Mall will be the only place to see this terrifying 15-foot-long villain of Steven Spielberg's classic film outside of Universal Studios.
Dinosaur fans will be able to learn about the evolution of dinosaurs across the Mesozoic World. “I want everyone – kids and adults – to share in the wonder of the greatest creatures ever to grace the Earth.” says Dino Don. “Not only are these dinosaurs far more awesome than any movie, but from an educational perspective, dinosaurs are a child's window into the world of science. And by making it hands-on with surprises around every corner, the Dino-saurium opens that window wider than ever.”
“We’re committed to making Granite Run Mall a safe, clean and family-focused destination, and projects such as this are a perfect way to fulfill our commitment,” said Aubrey Proud, Director of Marketing for the Granite Run Mall.
Via his company ExhibitsRex, Inc. based in Media, Dino Don has created the most popular touring dinosaur exhibitions in science museums across North America. A long-time resident of Delaware County, Lessem is delighted that Granite Run Mall is behind this collaborative venture. “I love sharing the wonder of dinosaurs with my friends and neighbors. And as an overgrown eight-year-old myself, I can’t think of anything cooler than seeing giant dinosaurs in my local mall.”
Located on the lower level of the Mall adjacent to Center Court, Dino Don’s Dinosaurium will open to the public on Saturday, Nov. 5. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $4 for children, $8 for adults. $1 from each admission ticket will be donated to Delaware County schools.
For more information, visit www.dinodonsdinosaurium.com.
"Dino Don” Lessem is the author of more than 50 books on dinosaurs and natural history. He's dug up the world's largest dinosaurs. He's hosted and written NOVA and Discovery Channel documentaries, founded the world’s largest paleontological charities, and served as advisor to the Jurassic Park film, and to Universal Studios and Disney films and attractions.
He has answered more than 11,000 letters to his "Ask Dino Don" column in Highlights Magazine, the nation’s largest-circulation children’s magazine, and has been a profile subject as well as a frequent guest on such national broadcasts as The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Morning News, and NPR’s All Things Considered and Science Friday.
Via his company, Dinodon, Inc., Lessem is also the creator of the world’s most popular touring dinosaur exhibitions, including Jurassic Park and The Lost World seen by more than 4 million people worldwide. Those exhibitions raised more than 2 million dollars for dinosaur research via the nonprofit Dinosaur Society, founded by Lessem. In recognition of his support, "Dino" Don is one of the few people still alive with a dinosaur named after him -- the Argentine planteater dinosaur Lessemsaurus. As a vegetarian he's pleased, though not with the fact that it was a particularly big-bellied and dim-witted animal.
"Dino" Don's work extends beyond dinosaurs. Lessem’s current international touring exhibition projects include Genghis Khan in cooperation with the government of Mongolia and the forthcoming The Great Wall Exhibition with the government of China.
Lessem is a degreed animal behaviorist and former Knight Journalism Fellow at M.I.T. University while a science correspondent for The Boston Globe. He was a Jeopardy contestant and winner on other network quiz shows.
He and his partner Val Jones live in an 18th century Philadelphia area mansion surrounded by the original dinosaurs from The Jurassic Park film. He has two adult daughters and is a frequent visitor to China, and Mongolia.
What you'll find inside:
Filled with hands-on, participatory activities, the 6500 square foot exhibit will allow visitors to:
• Feel the floor-shaking asteroid impact that may have wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
• Behold a Dinosaur “boxing match,” as an ancient 20-foot-long relative of Stegosaurus faces off with its archenemy, the equally big and far more nasty, Monolophosaurus.
• Unscramble the Wacky Dinosaur – A confused 20 foot-plant-eater posed as no museum ever would.
• Dig for a Dinosaur – Excavate fossils as paleontologists do on a Dinosaur Dig in an actual DIG PIT.
• Come face to face with killer dinosaur skulls and compare the deadly heads of Allosaurus, and the last, smartest and deadliest of the carnivores, the tyrannosaurs - Albertosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex.
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