The biggest creatures that ever walked the planet were welcomed to Columbus today by some of the biggest names in the city. Mayor Andrew Ginther made the announcement that COSI has a partnership with the American Museum of Natural History to bring a dinosaur gallery and special-exhibit gallery to the science center. The exhibit was made possible by $5 million from the state capital budget and a $2 million donation from Leslie Wexner, chief executive officer of L Brands, and his wife, Abigail.
The biggest creatures that ever walked the planet were welcomed to Columbus today by some of the biggest names in the city.
Mayor Andrew Ginther made the announcement that COSI has a partnership with the American Museum of Natural History to bring a dinosaur gallery and special-exhibit gallery to the science center.
The exhibit was made possible by $5 million from the state capital budget and a $2 million donation from Leslie Wexner, chief executive officer of L Brands, and his wife, Abigail.
The dinosaur gallery is expected to open in fall 2017, and the special-exhibition gallery early in 2018. They will occupy about 22,000 square feet on COSI’s first floor.
Officials today unveiled life-sized cast models of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and Stegosaurus.
“My colleagues from the museum and I, along with our awesome dinosaurs, are delighted to be in Columbus to celebrate what really is an extraordinary and unprecedented partnership,” said Ellen Futter, president of the natural-history museum.
Futter said the museum regularly has special exhibitions that travel to various sites, but this is the first time it has an off-site, dedicated dinosaur gallery.
Ginther, Wexner and other speakers hailed the arrival of dinosaurs as another step in the development of the Scioto Peninsula, one that would help boost attendance at COSI (more than 600,000 visit annually).
“One of our best institutions is helping Columbus distinguish ourselves as a community that values learning ... that is smart, open and on the move,” Ginther said.
The Columbus Downtown Development Corporation worked with both museums to make the partnership happen. Other projects in the area include the construction of a new veteran’s memorial and a park and underground parking garage just west of COSI.
Wexner made a point to mention the role that former Dispatch publisher John F. Wolfe played over the years in redeveloping the riverfront. Wolfe died of cancer in June.
“The credit for the vision of this really belongs to John,” Wexner said. “If there’s one person who should’ve been here today and deserved to be here today, it is John F.”