May 9, 2023

This summer, the Museum of Evolution will open its doors to some of the world’s rarest, most complete, and most valuable fossils from dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. With a captivating, multi-sensory exhibit, Denmark's first dinosaur museum aims to make our shared evolutionary history accessible and engaging for families, enthusiasts, and everyone in between. The Museum of Evolution will officially open on June 13, but from May onward, visitors can step inside to witness the final stages of the exhibition’s creation.

When the new Museum of Evolution opens this summer, it will be nothing short of a global sensation. The exhibition includes several spectacular and extremely valuable finds, collectively worth hundreds of millions—fossils of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures excavated over recent years, spanning 300 million years of evolutionary history.

“We’re fortunate to have some of the world’s best-preserved dinosaur skeletons from real giants that walked the Earth millions of years ago. Seeing these skeletons up close will undoubtedly give visitors a new and moving perspective on humanity’s place in natural history,” says Christoffer Knuth, director of the Museum of Evolution and Knuthenborg Safari Park, where the museum is located.

The museum will feature real skeletons from various dinosaurs, ten Permian period animals—before the dinosaurs—and several large Ice Age creatures. The two buildings that comprise the Museum of Evolution span 1,000 square meters.

Big Joe, Adam, and the World’s Most Important Fossil

One of the museum’s star attractions is Big Joe, a 9-meter-long, 1.5-ton Allosaurus predator from the Jurassic period, 155 million years ago. Big Joe is the most well-preserved Allosaurus skeleton ever found and one of the most complete dinosaur skeletons excavated to date.

Another heavyweight is the rare, horned Torosaurus named Adam, weighing an impressive 6.5 tons. With a nearly three-meter-long skull, this plant-eater has the largest skull of any animal ever to have lived.

The museum’s most precious fossil is the extremely rare Archaeopteryx—one of only twelve in the world. Often called the world’s most important fossil, Archaeopteryx confirms Darwin’s theory of evolution, as it represents a creature that is half bird, half dinosaur. This rare fossil, previously inaccessible to the public, is now on display at the Museum of Evolution for the first time.

A World-Class Museum

These millions-of-years-old creatures are brought to life through an innovative exhibition design incorporating sound, lighting effects, and scents created by the renowned Berlin-based art collective TAMSCHICK MEDIA+SPACE.

Brian Mikkelsen, director of the Danish Chamber of Commerce, has high expectations for the museum’s potential to attract international tourists: “The Museum of Evolution is an exciting addition to Denmark’s experience industry, with international appeal, as dinosaur exhibitions of this caliber attract a dedicated global audience. We know this generates interest and recognition abroad.”