PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia's museums and attractions are starting to reopen after being closed for a second time due to the pandemic. Among them is the Philadelphia Zoo, where "big" plans are on the horizon to welcome back visitors.
"Big Time: Life in an Endangerous Age" features 24 life-size, animatronic dinosaurs including a 40-foot-long, 3,000 lb. Tyrannosaurus rex, and a 15-foot-tall woolly mammoth.
The exhibit is a multi-sensory experience on the zoo grounds. "It will take everyone through different landscapes like one called 'volcanic vapors,' where we will focus on the erupting volcanos that wiped out many living things," said Amy Shearer, the zoo's chief markering and experience officer.
"We'll go through the prehistoric passage with the T.rex and triceratops, and then you're in the astroid void of 66 million years ago, which is a pretty desolate landscape, and the aftermath of that of course was an enermous asteroid and wiped out the dinosaurs," she described.
"To be honest," explained Shearer, "it was an experience that we created last year in 2020, and then of course when everything happened, we had to put it on pause, so we are really excited to be rolling it out this year."
The exhibit, she believes, will walk people through the prehistoric times and show parallels between the obstacles that dinosaurs faced and challenges facing today's animals. Guests are invited to ponder what will happen to modern endangered animals, if we don't do something to help.
"Big Time" opens to the general public on March 29. Attendance will be capped, so guests have to reserve a time slot. Reservations are open online.