AR 2001 Layout_Final - Royal Ontario Museum

Great Asian Dinosaurs! Unique Creatures from Russia’s Vaults
December 26, 2001 to April 7, 2002
Great Asian Dinosaurs! Unique Creatures from Russia’s Vaults was not only the
largest family-oriented exhibition in more than a decade, but also the largest
dinosaur show ever exhibited at the ROM. A world-class collection of 63 rare
skeletons, skulls and fossilized eggs, most of which arrived from the Russian
Academy of Sciences, a leading research institute with exceedingly rich fossil
collections, overran the Garfield Weston Exhibition Hall. In its first Canadian
stop, the exhibition included two incredible specimens, each more than 6 metres
high, which graced the exhibit entrance, in addition to 33 astonishingly complete
skeletons. Many of the specimens had never been seen in North America,
while others had never left Russia. This exhibition traced the evolutionary
changes and movements, both of animals and continents, from the Permian to
the Cretaceous periods, about 290 to 70 million years ago. Interactive elements
with new-media displays conveyed the dramatic stories, producing a superb
experience for ROM visitors of all ages.
Great Asian Dinosaurs! encountered an unexpected two-week delay in the
delivery of the specimens from Moscow, the result of a series of administrative
setbacks. This compressed installation time, however, did not delay the exhibition’s
opening date set for Boxing Day, December 26, 2001. The exceptional efforts of
ROM staff, with the aid of various ambassadors, ministries and customs/trade
agencies from both sides of the world, successfully managed these grand creatures
in record time. Their winning efforts were evident and appreciated.
Great Asian Dinosaurs! brought in a total of 409,726 visitors—our best
December attendance in more than ten years, and best-ever January—and was
held over for an additional week, by popular demand. Instrumental in attracting
some of the largest family audiences in the ROM’s history, the exhibition was
cited as one of the top three incentives for visiting the Museum between March
and April, and ranked high in terms of visitor satisfaction. This satisfaction
generated increased activity within our ROM Shops and ROM Membership.
Presenting Sponsor: NCE RESOURCES GROUP
Promotional Partner: Sears Canada Inc.
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