Dinosaur from Montana has new home in Dickinson museum

MONTANA (KFYR) - A dinosaur discovery in Montana several years ago is finally making its home in Dickinson.

There are many dinosaurs at Dickinson’s Badlands Dinosaur Museum, but the museum’s curator says this one is special.

“This will be one of the nicest dinosaurs that you can see between Chicago and Montana, Bozeman,” said Dr. Denver Fowler, Badlands Dinosaur Museum Curator.

Dr. Denver Fowler says the about 76-million-year-old tyrannosaur was from the Judith River Formation in Montana. He saw the animal’s feet sticking out of a cliff in 2017.

It was a discovery that made him, and others want to dig.

“There was a skeleton and fortunately for us it was curled up so it took up less space in the cliff so we could dig it out a little more easily,” said Fowler.

Fowler says it took several years to get the skeleton block ready for travel and it was about two weeks ago that a heavy lifting helicopter picked it up and lowered it onto a trailer. The dino was then ready for the trip to its new home in Dickinson.

“During the actual lift I was just, just desperately hoping that it all went to plan, and it did,” said Fowler.

So where is the tyrannosaur today? The more than nine-thousand-pound skeleton block is at Tooz Construction. They’re fixing wheels onto its support frame so it can be wheeled into the lab.

“It only just fits through the doors and then it’s going to sit here in the middle of the lab and people will be able to see it through the window and we’re also going to have a camera from above taking a photograph probably every minute,” said Fowler.

Fowler says the camera will allow the public to see their work. They have some of the dinosaur’s parts, but he is excited to learn more about it as it emerges from the rock.

Fowler says it will take about two years to clean the dinosaur completely. he says he is thankful to those who supported the project including BLM, TC Energy, ConocoPhillips, JE Dunn, and Tooz Construction.

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