Dinosaurs Alive! The Biggest Brookfield Zoo Critters Are Also The Oldest

By JoshMogerman in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 6, 2013 9:00PM

A Tyrannosaurus rex stalks a Triceratops and Omeisaurus at Brookfield Zoo\'s \"Dinosaurs Alive\" exhibit.

Sinosauropteryz at Brookfield Zoo\'s \"Dinosaurs Alive\" exhibit.

Carnotaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex at Brookfield Zoo\'s \"Dinosaurs Alive\" exhibit.

Olorottan at Brookfield Zoo\'s \"Dinosaurs Alive\" exhibit.

Spinosaurus at Brookfield Zoo\'s \"Dinosaurs Alive\" exhibit.

Kosmoceratops at Brookfield Zoo\'s \"Dinosaurs Alive\" exhibit.

Tyrannosaurus rex at Brookfield Zoo\'s \"Dinosaurs Alive\" exhibit.

Sure, people head to the Brookfield Zoo to see our “fine feathered friends” all the time. But ostriches, eagles, condors, peacocks, macaws and the birds of today are so passé. So the zoo is giving us a peek back in time, to the precursors to today’s birds: dinosaurs.

“Dinosaurs Alive” features 24 animatronic critters from the Cretaceous (and Jurassic) periods that range from 4 to 50 feet. The temporary exhibit is an update to one hosted four years ago, with all new—and far more advanced—representations of dinosaurs that illustrate the evolving view of “terrible lizards” among paleontologists. This batch is colorful and feather festooned, as informed by ever-expanding discoveries. The United States is actually home to the most dino discoveries in the world, with remains found in 35 states. Alas, none have been found in Illinois, so the Brookfield Zoo exhibit is the best we can do in these parts.

"Dinosaurs Alive" opens today at Brookfield Zoo and continues through late October. A separate admission charge applies.