Lifelike Replica of “Sue” T. rex Goes on Display

One of the most famous museum exhibits in the world, “Sue” the enormous T. rex mount located at the Field Museum in Chicago has something new to keep her company.  A life-size replica of the skeleton has been installed and museum visitors can get to see “Sue” in the flesh.  The 13 metre-long life-size model was created by the amazing talented people at Blue Rhino Studio (based in Minnesota).

Staff at Blue Rhino Studio Pose Next to the Completed Tyrannosaurus rex Replica

Lifesize model of "Sue".
Staff at Blue Rhino Studio photographed next to their life-size replica of Tyrannosaurus rex.

Picture credit: Blue Rhino Studio

Say Hello to “Fleshy”

The beautifully crafted replica is currently on display at the Field Museum, but is due to go shortly on a nationwide tour.  The huge theropod figure is based on the skeleton of “Sue”, it shows some of the pathology associated with the fossil specimen.  For example, there is a substantial scar just above the left ankle.  This was the site of a bone infection, probably resulting from an injury that “Sue” had sometime during her long life.  This amazing replica has been named “Fleshy”.

Blue Rhino Studio Staff Working on the Huge T. rex Replica

Working on the enormous T. rex model.
Blue Rhino staff working on the huge model.

Picture credit: Blue Rhino Studio

A Close-up View of the Area Above the Left Ankle Showing the Scar

The T. rex replica even has its own scars.
A close-up view of the area above the left ankle showing the scar.   The red arrow points to the patholoy on the replica.

Picture credit: Blue Rhino Studio with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur

Tyrannosaurus rex Sharing a Home with a Titanosaur

The fossilised remains of perhaps the most famous dinosaur in North America were moved in the winter of 2018 to a new location at the museum.  “Sue” can now be found within the museum’s Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet, alongside a skeleton of a titanosaur (nicknamed Máximo).  The replica stands nearly 4.5 metres tall and it has a juvenile Edmontosaurus in its mouth.  It is likely that E. annectens was on the menu for this Late Cretaceous apex predator.

The Life-size “Sue” T. rex Replica has a Baby Edmontosaurus in its Mouth

"Sue" the T. rex has captured a young Edmontosaurus.
Team members working on the giant T. rex figure – complete with juvenile Edmontosaurus.

Picture credit: Blue Rhino Studio

The figure took two whole days to set up in the Field Museum, the staff responsible for the set build and dismantling of “Sue” hope to reduce this to just a day when the figure is on tour.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“This is an amazing piece of work!  Yes, you can debate the lack of feathers, but this wonderful exhibit will really help visitors to appreciate just how large Tyrannosaurus rex actually was.”

The Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.