A recently discovered dinosaur species will be publicly displayed at a Colchester museum soon.
‘Juliasaurus’ will go on display at Colchester’s Hollytrees Museum for its first ever public display on April 3 until November 1, 2027.
The name chosen by the private owner of the skeleton means Julia’s lizard: saurus is from the Ancient Greek for lizard or reptile.
The skeleton was unearthed in the world-famous, Late Jurassic Morrison Formation in the US State of Wyoming in 2020 and will form the centrepiece of a new exhibition Discover Juliasaurus’ Lost World.
Colchester Museums Manager Pippa Pickles said: “This dinosaur has not been publicly displayed anywhere else in the world, so it is a wonderful and exciting opportunity to view this 6.2-metre-long (over 20 feet) specimen in the Georgian mansion.
“The remarkable specimen of Juliasaurus, which may be a new species, further highlights that this globally significant Morrison Formation still has secrets left to discover.”
The 150-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton is 70 to 75 per cent complete and includes a partial skull with braincase.
Juliasaurus belonged to the theropods group of dinosaurs, which the well-known Tyrannosaurus Rex was a part of.
The relic could represent a previously unidentified species, or possibly even an entirely new genus.
David Aaron gallery, facilitated the loan and its owner, a private collector was keen for it to be showcased somewhere it would have real impact with local communities.
Dr Simon Jackson, Ipswich Museum Collection and Learning Curator said: “As this will be the first time a dinosaur has been displayed in Colchester, we plant to exhibit alongside the fossils in our collections to reimagine the landscapes in this area 150 million years ago.”
Hollytrees Museum will also include in the exhibition around 100 objects and specimens, including fossils discovered in the local area.
This will include replicas of dinosaur bones from contemporaries of Juliasaurus, including the famous Stegosaurus and pterosaur material including a real wing finger bone.
There will also be living ‘relatives’ of animals and plants that would have lived alongside Juliasaurus, including a taxidermy crocodile.
The displays will also feature fossils showing what life in Britain was like during this time period and of Essex animals.
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