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Brachiosaurus Replica

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Brachiosaurus Replica
The original replica at O'Hare International Airport in 2012
SubjectBrachiosaurus
LocationChicago, Illinois, United States

There are two replicas of a Brachiosaurus discovered by paleontologist Elmer S. Riggs, both of which have been on public display in Chicago, in the U.S. state of Illinois.[1][2][3][4] The original replica was unveiled at the Field Museum of Natural History in 1993 and relocated to O'Hare International Airport in 1997. An all-weather cast, created in 1999 and referred to as Brachiosaurus Replica by Chicago Park District,[5] was displayed outside the Field Museum until 2022, when disassembly was required after an inspection revealed there was damage. Both replicas have been outfitted with clothing representing Chicago sports teams.

Casts and history

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Original replica

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The replica in 2011

In 1993, Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History unveiled a mounted skeleton in Stanley Field Hall of a Brachiosaurus discovered by paleontologist Elmer S. Riggs. The skeleton includes casts of the dinosaur as well as "life-sized model bones based on the closely related Giraffatitan from Tanzania", according to Chicago Park District.[5][6]

In 1997, the 72-foot-tall skeleton was relocated to the United Airlines Terminal at O'Hare International Airport's Terminal 1 (Concourse B).[5][7][8][9] It is installed outside the Field Museum's store,[10] and has been described as one of the best Brachiosaurus skeletons.[11] In 2019, United Airlines outfitted the replica with a Chicago Bears jersey.[12]

In 2010, Smithsonian magazine's science correspondence Riley Black wrote, "On my way back from Montana, I had a layover in Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, and it was there that I spotted this impressive mount of Brachiosaurus altithorax... I have to say that seeing this one near my departure terminal made me think about heading right back out into the field."[13] Travel + Leisure noted the replica in a 2015 overview of nine airports in the U.S. "for art lovers".[8] In 2017, Jenny Xie ranked the replica nineteenth in Curbed's list of 27 "cool airport amenities, in order of increasing absurdity".[14] Time Out included a viewing of the dinosaur in a 2023 list of the ten "best things to do" at O'Hare.[10]

Former all-weather cast

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The replica outside the Field Museum of Natural History in 2013

In 1999, an all-weather cast of Riggs' Brachiosaurus was installed on the museum's northwest terrace. The replica was visible from Lake Shore Drive and became "iconic for donning the jersey of various Chicago teams during sports seasons", according to Chicago Park District.[5] Vice magazine described the replica as "four stories tall, prodigiously forelimbed, skull-crested king of thundering behemoths, with a ribcage the size of a studio apartment".[15]

The skeleton was outfitted with Chicago Blackhawks clothing in 2009,[16] 2010,[17] and 2014.[18] The Blackhawks clothing, which was designed by Gary Heitz of Chicago Scenic Studios, could not be used in 2015 because of weather damage.[19][20] The dinosaur was outfitted with a Chicago Bears jersey in 2017.[21] In 2018, the 45-foot-tall, 2,000-pound replica sported a custom-fit Chicago Cubs jersey ahead of playoffs.[22]

In 2022, the cast was disassembled after an inspection showed signs of "severe" damage. The steel used to hold pieces together was slated for recycling.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Field's Big Dinosaur Departing for O'Hare". Chicago Tribune. 1999-12-12. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  2. ^ "Replica of Dinosaur Fossil Gives O'Hare Passengers Monstrous Welcome". Chicago Tribune. 2000-01-20. Archived from the original on 2024-10-07. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  3. ^ Baskas, Harriet. "Tuesday is Dino-day at Chicago's O'Hare Airport". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2017-11-05. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  4. ^ Schnitzler, Nicole (2021-07-09). "The Most Unique Things to Do and See at O'Hare International Airport, Including a Dinosaur". Thrillist. Archived from the original on 2024-09-13. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  5. ^ a b c d "Brachiosaurus Replica | Artwork | Chicago Park District". www.chicagoparkdistrict.com. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  6. ^ SILBERNAGEL, BOB (2024-10-11). "Riggs put Grand Valley dinosaurs on the map 120 years ago". The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-10-11. A plaster cast of what the Brachiosaurus skeleton may have looked like is on display outside the Field Museum. But it is believed to be a composite, using casts of bones from other dinosaurs as well as Riggs' Brachiosaurus to produce a replica of a full skeleton.
  7. ^ "How to Navigate Chicago's Airports". Chicago Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-06-17. Retrieved 2024-10-11. Next stop: the 72-foot-tall brachiosaurus skeleton in Terminal 1, a gift from the Field Museum.
  8. ^ a b "Nine American Airports for Art Lovers". Travel + Leisure. Archived from the original on 2024-09-27. Retrieved 2024-10-11 – via Smithsonian Magazine. Stop by Terminal 1, Concourse B for a skeleton model of a Brachiosaurus, a nod to the city's famous Field Museum
  9. ^ Moore, Randy (2014-07-23). Dinosaurs by the Decades: A Chronology of the Dinosaur in Science and Popular Culture. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 979-8-216-07463-2.
  10. ^ a b "The best things to do at O'Hare International Airport". Time Out. November 20, 2023.
  11. ^ Rockwood, Leigh (2011-08-15). Brachiosaurus. The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4488-5092-1.
  12. ^ "United Airlines dressed up for new Bears season at O'Hare Airport". WGN TV. August 29, 2019. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  13. ^ Black, Riley. "Dinosaur Sighting: Chicago Brachiosaurus". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  14. ^ Xie, Jenny (2017-09-22). "27 cool airport amenities, in order of increasing absurdity". Curbed. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  15. ^ Zarley, B. David (2015-06-15). "The Art And Science Of Putting Large Chicago Blackhawks Helmets on Lions". VICE. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  16. ^ "Brachiosaurus Blackhawk: Take that, Spirit of Detroit statue". NBC Connecticut. 2009-05-19. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  17. ^ "Field Museum dinosaur shows Hawks pride". ABC7 Chicago. Archived from the original on 2024-04-19. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  18. ^ "Dinosaur dons Hawks sweater, but Bulls not forgotten". Chicago Tribune. 2014-04-18. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  19. ^ "Dinosaur in Chicago won't wear Blackhawks jersey this year". FOX Sports. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  20. ^ "Art Institute Lions Don Blackhawks Helmets; Field Museum Dinosaur Won't Wear Its Sweater". www.cbsnews.com. CBS Chicago. 2015-06-03. Archived from the original on 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  21. ^ Neveau, James (2017-09-08). "Iconic Field Museum Attraction Shows Its Bears' Support". NBC Chicago. Archived from the original on 2020-07-23. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  22. ^ "Field Museum's Dinosaur Decked Out in Cubs Jersey Ahead of Playoffs". www.cbsnews.com. CBS Chicago. 2018-10-01. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  23. ^ "Art Institute lions head for a steam and a wax, Field Museum dino goes to dumpster". Chicago Tribune. 2022-06-14. Archived from the original on 2024-06-23. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
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