Roaring good time in store at Newcastle Museum as visitors vote for best dinosaur in show

The Local Government elections may be over, but there's another ballot looming for Novocastrians this month when the latest exhibition opens at Newcastle Museum.

Visitors will be asked to cast their vote for the most compelling candidates as part of the Great Baby Dinosaur Show, a paleontological peek back in time presented in the tradition of an agricultural show.

The ticketed, family-friendly exhibition showcases a range of animatronic dinosaurs including pterosaurs, triceratops and velociraptors, which Newcastle Cr Carol Duncan said will deliver a much-needed dose of fun and frivolity this summer.

"Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the experience of the Great Baby Dinosaur Show, hearing the life-like dinosaurs roar and watching them move while carefully considering their vote for the 'Best in Show',” Cr Duncan said.

"The Museum’s staff have had fun preparing for this exhibition and taking on the role of judges for this giant baby competition, awarding ribbons for everything from the ‘Best Roar’ and ‘Coolest Spikes’ to the ‘Most Colourful Scales’, but now we need your help to decide who will take out the top prize, with the winner to be announced when the show finishes up on 12 March, 2022."

Newcastle Museum Director Julie Baird said the Museum was excited to put this special dinosaur show together for the summer school holiday period.

"Dinosaur-themed exhibitions are always very popular with the community, and especially our younger residents, which is why our Museum staff were excited to be involved in curating this show,” Ms Baird said.

"While they're here, visitors can also check out our other summer exhibition, Oh yeah, I forgot about that: A decade of change seen through the eyes of Mr Trevor Dickinson, Artist, which features more than 20 works by the much-loved Newcastle artist."

The Great Baby Dinosaur Show opens to the public on 11 December 2021 and will remain on show until 12 March 2022, with tickets available now via the Newcastle Museum website.

A range of dinosaur products made by local producers are also on sale at the Visitor Information Centre so families can take home their own locally-generated souvenir of the exhibition.