Giant, Sue-Sized T-Rex Puppets & Other Things To Watch For At The March For Science Saturday

By Stephen Gossett in News on Apr 21, 2017 6:37PM

Courtesy of the Field Museum

It can seem like a curiously controversial opinion these days, but we here at Chicagoist are avowedly pro-science. And with a climate denialist heading up the Environmental Protection Agency, there's no better time for a passionate defense of reason and empiricism. So we're naturally thrilled for Saturday, when the long-awaited March for Science kicks off, starting in Grant Park and extending down to the Museum Campus. We've known for a while to expect quite the crowd, plus some friendly assistance from the folks at the Field Museum—who are offering half-priced basic admission to Field on Saturday afternoon for marchers.

Just as exciting: there will be dinosaur puppets. Some rather sizable T-Rex puppets, in fact.

Courtesy of local mother-daughter-operated theater/puppet makers Jabberwocky Marionettes,, two roughly life-size fossil T-Rex's will be on display in all their science-loving glory. They measure roughly 10 feet high and 20 feet long. The actual dinosaurs "grew a little larger than that," said Lolly Extract, of Jabberwocky. "They're a little smaller than Sue," she said, referencing the Field's most famous specimen.

The Carnivale-esque puppet duo are made of bamboo and papier-mâché, and they boast dueling airhorns, "so they can roar at each other," Jabberwocky puppeteer Amber Marsh told Chicagoist.

"We're just honored to be part of this movement," Extract said, citing the need for such demonstrations in light of political efforts to slash the EPA budget and undermine climate change science.

The rally starts at 10 a.m. Participants can enter via Congress Parkway, across from Buckingham Fountain (see map below). Featured speakers include Emily Graslie, the Field’s Chief Curiosity Correspondent and host of YouTube series The Brain Scoop. The march then commences at 11 a.m., moving south to the Museum Campus. And from 12 to 3 p.m., the March will host a Science Expo near the Field Museum's south entrance. Dozens of exhibitors will be on hand at the expo, where marchers can learn more about research efforts in Chicago, volunteer for organizations and investigate "citizen science" efforts.

A full, printable list of exhibitors can be found here.

Courtesy of the Field Museum

March for Science