The Umbracle holds europe's biggest exhibition of robotic dinosaurs with 27-metre replicas

The Umbracle at the City of Arts and Sciences is holding Europe’s biggest ever exhibition of robotic dinosaurs, showing what these colossal creatures that populated the planet for 200 million years were actually like. ‘Among Dinosaurs’ exhibits replicas that range from 2.5-metres tall, such as the Stegosaurus, to the 27metre long Diplodocus, not forgetting the 14-metre Tyrannosaurus Rex. In total, there are 26 robots of different species that look utterly lifelike and that can recreate a wide range of movements and sounds that will amaze any visitor.

The exhibition covers an area of 3,000 square metres and takes the visitor on a fascinating journey into the past to get to know these spectacular dinosaurs. Visitors will also enter different geological eras, understand the excavation methods used in palaeontology and even learn about the various theories that may explain the disappearance of the dinosaurs. They can also discover amazing finds, such as feathered dinosaurs – in fact, dinosaur skeletons share a 75% similarity with those of birds, and only 15% with today’s reptiles.

The exhibition includes two reproductions of the skeletons of Yangchuanosaurus and a Tyrannosaurus Rex. It also takes an in-depth look at the world of palaeontology. Visitors can learn about the methods used and that small fossils are easier to extract because the larger ones need more tools to dig them out with. This section includes a recreation of one of these digs, where the kids can become palaeontologists and try to locate fossils buried in the sand.

The public will become well acquainted with the various species of dinosaurs, such as the well-known Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Diplodocus (a 27-metre long example located in the complex’s southern lake until September), the Stegosaurus and the Iguanodon. There is also the Velociraptor (which means “speedy thief”); the Apatosaurus; the Ankylosaurus; the Brachiosaurus, el Deinonychus or “terrible claw”; the brightly-coloured Dilophosaurus (the largest predator of the early Jurassic period); and the Gallimimus, with its horny beak and long back legs, able to run at over 60 kilometres per hour.

Other species represented are the Parasaurolophus with its peculiar crest almost two metres long; the flying reptile Pteranodon; the Spinosaurus, characterized by its large dorsal sail formed by spinal extensions up to 2 metres tall; and the Pachycephalosaurus. The Triceratops and the Allosaurus, whose articulated jaws had a bite bigger than that of a snake, are also among the species features in this journey through time, which visitors can extend by watching the large-format film “Dinosaurs Alive!” at the Hemisfèric, with a combined ticket.

“Among Dinosaurs”, which opens to the public tomorrow, Thursday 15th July, can also be visited at night until the 31st August, as it will be open from 10am to midnight. From the 1st September to the 12th October, the exhibition will close at 9pm and from the 13th October to the 29th May 2011 it will close at 7pm.

Tickets cost 6 euros for adults, 4.80 euros for the reduced tariff (children from 4 to 12 years old; seniors over 65 and/or pensioners and disabled visitors), 4 euros per person for school parties and 4.40 euros for groups of adults (20 people or more). Combined tickets for other venues in the complex can also be purchased.