
About Tyrannosaurs
Tyrannosaurs explored the most feared and revered of all dinosaurs, bringing the latest palaeontological discoveries to life and challenging preconceptions about these ferocious predators.
While the most famous of the species is the mighty T. rex, tyrannosaurs came in all shapes and sizes, and their history extends over 100 million years. The exhibition featured extremely rare fossil specimens, cast skeletons – including one of ‘Scotty’, one of the largest and most complete T. rex skeletons in the world – and incredible models of feathered dinosaurs. Visitors explored the diversity of tyrannosaur skulls and found out what variations in structure can tell us about different hunting and feeding strategies.
Tyrannosaurs used cutting-edge technology, including hands-on and multimedia experiences and an interactive augmented reality experience where visitors could play with life-sized dinosaurs in the gallery.
Despite their final demise during one of Earth’s biggest mass extinction events, tyrannosaurs live on both in popular imagination and even through to their present-day bird cousins.
Tyrannosaur research is one of the hottest areas in palaeontology – several species have been described in just the past decade – and exciting new discoveries are regularly re-drawing the family tree.
'Jurassic thrills which will have kids gasping in the greatest amazement, and which are bound to make it a guaranteed hit.'
The List
'Fascinating'
Herald Scotland
'Roarsome, jawsome, awesome!'
Primary Times
Inside the exhibition

T.rex on display in the Tyrannosaurs exhibition

T.rex in the Tyrannosaurs exhibition, 2020

Interactive touchscreen in the Tyrannosaurs exhibition, 2020
Behind the scenes
Take a look behind the scenes and watch the construction of Scotty the T. rex.
Visitor views
Created by the Australian Museum and toured internationally by Flying Fish
Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery
You might also like

The incredible migration of the Monarch Butterfly
Natural world
The migration of Monarch butterflies in North America is one of the greatest natural phenomena in the world. It is unusual to see this butterfly in Britain, which makes it our rarest migrant butterfly.Short read
Where do taxidermy animals come from?
Natural world
If you’ve ever visited the Natural World galleries at the National Museum of Scotland, you will be no stranger to animal taxidermy. From echidnas to elephants, voles to vampire bats, it’s quite the spectacle. But have you ever wondered…Short read
Scotland in the time of Giants
Natural world, Scotland
Written by Dr Sarah StewartFollowing the extinction of dinosaurs and other animals such as marine reptiles 66 million years ago, smaller surviving animals evolved, and some became giants.Long read

