One of the most popular attractions in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is now closed for renovations. The highly-popular Fossil Hall will undergo an extensive renovation process that is scheduled to last five years.
The Natural History Museum attracts thousands of people every year. Within the fossil hall, some of the most popular exhibits include exquisitely preserved dinosaur skeletons from various epochs in the Earth's history. However, dinosaur lovers around the country will have to wait until 2019 to view the museum's well-loved dinosaur fossil collection.
"Dinosaurs have always been one of the Smithsonian's most important and popular exhibitions," said National Museum of Natural History's director Cristián Samper. "The new paleobiology and dinosaur hall will enable us not only to show remarkable fossils, but also to present the latest scientific findings about how life on Earth has evolved."
Museum representatives say that the Fossil Hall's renovation has been planned for a while now and thanks to a hefty $35 million donation from industrialist and philanthropist David Koch, the renovations can finally proceed. All in all, the construction process will take around $48 million dollars in total.
"We are grateful to David Koch for this gift that will allow the Smithsonian to update one of the most important and popular exhibitions in the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History," said Wayne Clough, the Smithsonian Institution's Secretary. "Millions of Americans and visitors from all over the world will learn and be inspired for years to come."
Before the Fossil Hall finally closed its doors for the last time until 2019, thousands of last minute museum visitors dropped by the hall to say their goodbyes to the various fossils located around the premises. The hall's closing day was also marked with various guests and dinosaur experts posing with the fossils for some last minute photos. Museum goers were also treated to a dinosaur themed film festival in celebration of the hall's final day before the renovation process begins.
While the dinosaurs are undoubtedly the undisputed stars of the museum's Fossil Hall, the hall actually contains quite a number of exhibits featuring various non-dinosaur fossils as well.
When the Fossil Hall reopens in five years' time, one of the highly anticipated additions will feature a 53 foot long skeleton of the infamous Tyrannosaurus rex. The T. rex skeleton, which was transported to Washington from Montana by FedEx, is considered as one of the most complete T. rex specimens ever found. The extra-large fossil will serve as the centerpiece of the museum's soon to be built Dinosaur and Fossil Hall.
