It is billed as a Battle of
the Titans with Tyrannosaus Rex (T-Rex) facing off against the Triceratops
for dinosaur supremacy! For my
daughters it was just about really cool
dinosaurs at the Royal Botanical Gardens.
No matter your age, I think we can all agree there is something about
dinosaurs that captures our imagination and intrigues us.
Last year my
five-year old was in junior kindergarten and she learned about dinosaurs and
since then she has had a keen interest in these prehistoric creatures peppering
me with questions about their size, what they ate, how they died…the list goes
on and on. My two and a half year old
not to be outdone by her big sister also has become a fan of dinos but her
questions are much easier to answer. As
you can imagine, when we were at the Royal
Botanical Gardens over the holidays and the girls heard about the upcoming
dinosaur exhibition they were so excited.
Flash forward to Wednesday when I told the them we were going to see the
dinosaurs at the RBG the next day – the five year old responded with an
exasperated “finally!” and the two year old ran around the house yelling
“dinosaur” at the top of her lungs.
The Battle of the
Titans does not disappoint! We entered the RBG and headed for the action. As we passed the Atrium we noticed to large
dinosaur heads peeking out from the foliage and the excitement rose. My two year old ran ahead with her dad and by
the time we caught up with them she was already outfitted in a dinosaur costume
and roaring up a storm. The five year
old opted to read some books (dino themed of course) and we enjoyed some time
in the “play area”. Next up was
crafting, one of the great things about the events at the RBG is there is
always creative opportunities which is ideal for younger (and older kids) when
you need some down time. Their activity
of choice was colouring and it kept them out of mischief for a while. For a listing of all the daily activities
check the website.
The foyer has some
cool activities including the digital
dig pit. Kids have the opportunity
to uncover dinosaur bones under digital dirt (so tidy!) and then sweep them
into place to create a skeleton which comes alive and “walks off the
table”. I honestly think that my girls
would have spent the whole night and much of the next day here. I also had the opportunity to speak to the
gentlemen that created this super cool exhibit and they were thrilled to watch it in action. Up to that point they had
only tested it themselves and I think they were very pleased with the final
result. This is a great activity for kids of all ages – my two year old picked
it up in no time.
There are other
interesting and education exhibits around the foyer but once my girls got to
the dig pit they weren’t keen to do much else. That is until the prehistoric puppet
show. This cute puppet show features a
T-Rex and Triceratops and manages to be both fun and sneak in some educational
facts along the way. Post show the staff
came out with the two puppets and let the children “meet” the characters.
We finally managed to
get back to the Atrium to take in the main attraction. The diorama
of the T. rex and Triceratops locked in battle. The upper level is full of fascinating and
interactive displays. From video
displays to the dino vision skulls there is plenty to see and do and it covers
a wide range of information which means older kids and adults will be engaged
and learn but younger kids will still find things they can connect with. As expected the dinosaur “output” display was
met with giggles and interest. I guess
it’s not just boys that like that stuff.
The actual dinosaur
replicas are huge and both girls liked getting up close and checking them out. To quote my two year old “that the biggest
dinosaur I ever seen”…her grammar is not perfect yet. The actual creation of this exhibition is
very impressive. I asked Nick Kondrat,
the Manager of Communications at RBG about the artist and exhibits and he
explained, “Paleo-Artist Hall Train and his studio Hall Train Studios has
provided world-class exhibit design to many of the most prominent institutions
in North America. Those institutions include the American Museum of Natural
History in New York, Universal Studios, and the Royal Tyrell Museum in Alberta. His collaboration with leading
paleontologists, biochemical engineers, curators and museum designers allows
Hall Train studios to create some of the most scientifically authentic
re-creations in the world. With Pioneer Energy’s Battle of the Titans, Hall was
able to go further into his craft than ever before and tell a unique,
multi-layered story about the fine ecological balance that dinosaurs tread so
long ago. This is the first time that Battle of the Titans has been presented
to the public and there are plans for the exhibit to travel to other
institutions after its run at Royal Botanical Gardens.” Lucky us to be the first to see this.
One of the things I
like best about the exhibitions at the RBG is that they spend a lot of time
creating special events and programming to tie into the main attraction. This year is no different with something for
children, youth and adults to enjoy. My
two personal favourites are the Dino-snore sleepovers and the Prehistoric
Brunch. Check out the entire listing
and be sure to sign up early to ensure your space and if you are looking for a
unique March break camp they have those
too.
If after all your
prehistoric adventures you are feeling a bit hungry be sure to stop by the
Gardens Café for their special dinosaur themed menu.
We had a great time
at the Battle of the Titans and will definitely be visiting again (and again)
before it ends on April 7. The Royal
Botanical Gardens has so much to do beyond the exhibition. Take some time to enjoy the beautiful Mediterranean Garden and relax by the koi pond (another child favourite)
and escape the winter cold or if you are the outdoor type take a hike on the
trails, and be sure to bring some sunflower seeds for the birds who like to eat
from visitor’s hands.
All in all this was a “roaring”
good time!
