New York City’s newest resident is taller and older than most.
The American Museum of Natural History revealed its latest attraction on Dec. 8, “Apex,” one of the largest and most complete Stegosaurus fossils ever unearthed. The 150-million-year-old specimen, standing 11.5 feet tall and stretching 27 feet long, is displayed in a windowed alcove at the entrance of the Gilder Center, available for all visitors to admire.
“He’s been in the ground for so long, and then a group of paleontologists found him, dug him up, fixed him up, and auctioned him, and now he’s here. We’re probably one of the first few 1,000 people to physically see it–that is crazy to think about,” said Eli Bursztyn, 23, a Queens resident visiting the exhibit.
The Stegosaurus, discovered in 2022 outside Dinosaur, Colorado, was auctioned this past summer and purchased by museum patron Ken Griffin for a record-breaking $44.6 million, making it the most expensive fossilized skeleton ever sold, according to Sotheby’s. Griffin loaned the fossil to the American Museum of Natural History, where it will remain on display for the next four years.
Beyond its monetary worth, Apex is also one of the most well-preserved Stegosaurus fossils in history, with 80 percent of its 320 original bones remaining intact. Those 254 pieces were on display, with missing elements being recreated using 3D printing and sculpted components, according to the museum.
For dinosaur enthusiasts like Doug Hemans, 40, from Las Vegas, Nevada, visiting the exhibit was a must, even with the time crunch of his trip ending soon.
“[I visited the exhibit] because it was opening, it’s one of my last days in New York, and I have been obsessed with the Stegosaurus since I was 5–it is my favorite dinosaur,” said Hemans.
As part of the loan agreement, Griffin has allowed for researchers at the Museum’s Division of Paleontology to conduct research on the fossil to learn more about the Stegosaurus species including its “growth, life, history and variation,” according to the museum.
Next fall, the museum will move Apex into the museum’s fossil hall on the fourth floor for the duration of the loan. After four years, Apex’s skeleton will be replaced by a cast. Until then, guests can view the exhibit, which is included with any admission ticket, including the “pay as you wish” offering for New York residents.
“For now, it’s here, and it’s for the greater good of humanity and all museum goers that we can see the most complete Stegosaurus in human history. It’s beautiful,” added Bursztyn.
