Patagotitan mayorum lands in Singapore
Rising to about 6 metres and spanning the length of three badminton courts, Patagotitan mayorum dominates the hall at Science Centre Singapore. This Cretaceous giant would have roamed the forests of Patagonia around 100 million years ago, grazing on vegetation with the help of a long neck. Today, it travels far from home as part of a joint presentation that places a spotlight on both dinosaur history and the broader story of life on Earth.
The massive creature forms the centerpiece of Dinosaurs | Extinctions | Us, a collaboration between the Science Centre and the National University of Singapore’s LKCNHM (Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum). The show merges two acclaimed exhibitions: Dinosaurs Of Patagonia, originally curated by Argentina’s Museo Paleontologico Egidio Feruglio, and Six Extinctions, produced by Gondwana Studios. The result is a journey through time that invites visitors to consider how life evolves, endures, and sometimes vanishes.
From discovery to display: the making of a giant
Patagotitan mayorum had a modest start with a farmer discovering a bone while walking his dog in La Flecha, Argentina, in 2010. Between 2012 and 2015, excavations yielded more than 200 fossils, including 130 sauropod bones. In 2017, researchers named the new genus and species to honor Patagonia and the Mayo family who owned the site. Only a fraction of the skeleton was recovered—about 70 percent—yet enough to give scientists a solid blueprint for reconstruction.
For the Singapore exhibition, the bones were cast rather than moved. The display relies on 3D-scanning and sculpting in resin, fiberglass, foam, and metal to reproduce the missing pieces and keep the originals safe. The resulting cast, with a vivid red hue drawn from the sediment where they were found, offers a striking but faithful representation of the giant’s form and posture.
Weight differences are staggering: the femur alone weighs about 650 kilograms, and the reconstructed animal would have weighed tens of tonnes. The cast itself weighs roughly 2.5 tonnes, and the original fossils displayed in Italy, Singapore, and elsewhere are carefully conserved to prevent damage. Because the bones are so fragile, an external metal frame is avoided to prevent drilling into the originals; instead, some parts lie on metal plates while staff monitor the display to keep visitors at a respectful distance.
A two-exhibition fusion: a bigger storytelling goal
Early planning showed how powerful it would be to unite two international collections. The integration of Dinosaurs Of Patagonia and Six Extinctions makes room for a more cohesive narrative—one that ties together biodiversity, climate shifts, and the tempo of life’s rise and fall. The Science Centre notes that this is their largest dinosaur showcase to date, spanning about 3,000 square metres and exceeding the footprint of many travelling exhibitions.
In Singapore, more than 30 original fossils from Egidio Feruglio accompany dozens of life-size models from Gondwana Studios. Local expertise from LKCNHM adds seven taxidermied specimens considered locally extinct in Singapore, including the giant squirrel and the Christmas Island Pipistrelle, offering a poignant reminder that extinction still affects us today.
What visitors will experience
The exhibition flows chronologically from the Ordovician through to the Devonian, Permian, Triassic, Cretaceous, and into the Holocene and Anthropocene. Along the way, guests encounter familiar giants such as Patagotitan mayorum and predators like Scotty, a famous Tyrannosaurus rex, and Tyrannotitan, whose teeth were found near the Patagotitan quarry. The show is designed to educate and engage, with interactive elements that translate big science into tangible understanding.
Akin to the real work of scientists, a hands-on pit lets children feel like palaeontologists, digging for “fossils” in the ground. Visitors can also try their hand at dinosaur design—deducing muscle shapes and skin color as researchers do—and better grasp how much inference goes into reconstructing ancient life from fragments.
Why this matters in today’s world
Organisers emphasise that the exhibit serves as a timely reminder of biodiversity and extinction. As the planet faces what some scientists call a sixth mass extinction, the show connects global science with local conservation efforts. The National Parks Board’s initiatives to protect Singapore’s flora and fauna are presented as a hopeful counterpoint to the extinction narratives on display, inviting audiences to consider how each person can contribute to preservation.
Practical notes for visitors
The exhibition has no announced end date, with Oct 11 marking a key opening moment. Visitors should budget at least two hours to take in the full arc of the display, with many spending half a day to explore the interactive features and the surrounding gallery spaces. For families and school groups, the immersive format supports learning about evolution, geology, and ecology in an engaging, accessible way.
Plan your visit
Be sure to check Science Centre Singapore’s schedule and ticketing ahead of time to coordinate group visits, special programs, and any changes caused by weather or supply chain delays. This is a rare opportunity to see a life-size Patagotitan mayorum cast up close and to explore how scientists piece together the past from scattered clues.
