67-million-year-old fossil ‘Dakota the Dinomummy’ unveiled at the North Dakota Heritage Center

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Paleontologists and state officials unveiled Dakota the Dino-mummy at the North Dakota Heritage Center after a three-year restoration project.

A crowd gathered for the ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday morning. Scientists cleaned and rebuilt a permanent exhibit with interactive dino scales. A senior paleontologist for the state’s geological survey said Dakota, found near Marmarth in 1999, is rare because its skin is well preserved.

”We get a little caught up sometimes because we’re so into paleontology and we just really hope that everyone else likes it too and it’s always the question of when we open it: ‘Are they gonna be just as excited?’ It’s great to see that yes, the general public is just as excited about dinosaurs as we are,” said senior paleontology Clint Boyd.

Clint hinted that next year the state’s paleontology group will unveil a new species of Dinosaur only found in North Dakota.