Giant New Dinosaur on Display at AMNH

Rexy’s got a new friend—one of the largest and most complete Stegosaurus fossils ever found. Named Apex, the 150-million-year-old specimen is now on display at the American Museum of Natural History, located at 200 Central Park West.

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Discovered in May 2022 by commercial paleontologist Jason Cooper near the town of (yes) Dinosaur, Colorado, Apex is on special loan to the museum for a limited time.

Stretching 27 feet long and 11.5 feet high, Apex will greet visitors at the entrance to the Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation in the Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium. The nearly 80% complete fossil will also launch a new research program at the Center, as scientists in the museum’s Division of Paleontology study Stegosaurus biology, including its growth and lifespan.

For those curious about the science, the Stegosaurus is an ornithischian dinosaur, an herbivore with a pelvic structure resembling that of birds. And if you’ve ever watched Jurassic Park, you might remember Alan Grant’s character, based on real-life paleontologist Jack Horner, whose research supports the theory that birds evolved from dinosaurs.

“We are thrilled to have Apex on view at the Museum and grateful to Ken Griffin for his commitment to sharing this magnificent specimen with the public and for partnering with our Museum to do so,” said Sean M. Decatur, President of the American Museum of Natural History in a press release.

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Griffin, the CEO of Citadel—an alternative investment firm—and the founder of Griffin Catalyst, a civic engagement initiative, is also a multibillionaire who set a record in 2019 by purchasing the most expensive home ever sold in the country. He has loaned Apex to the museum for the next four years. With his support, the museum is also planning a sweeping slate of educational resources around Apex for age groups ranging from childhood to youth, with tools for educators and lifelong learners to engage with the specimen.

Apex boasts over 254 bone elements out of an estimated 320, making it one of the most complete and well-preserved Stegosaurus fossils ever found. Mounted in a defensive pose with its multi-spiked tail raised, Apex’s missing pieces were reconstructed using 3D-printed and sculpted components. What’s especially fascinating is that Apex appears to have lived to an advanced age—an exceedingly rare find among Stegosaurus fossils.

You could say Apex has been around the block, and now he’s on one of ours. Next fall, the fossil will be relocated to the fourth floor, where it will anchor a new entrance to the Museum’s renowned fossil halls from the Gilder Center. When the four-year loan concludes, a cast of Apex will take its place.

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