First Tyrannosaurus rex to be exhibited in England for more than a century

The ‘incredibly well-preserved’ skeleton, named Titus, makes its world debut in Nottingham

Paleontological conservator Nigel Larkin dusts the teeth of Titus during a preview of the Tyrannosaurus Rex exhibition (PA)

A real Tyrannosaurus rex is on display for the first time in England for more than a century.

The 4m tall and 11m long skeleton, named Titus, has not been publicly displayed before and will be making its world debut at Wollaton Hall in Nottingham from July 2021 to August 2022.

The fossil was discovered in the Montana Badlands in the US in 2018 and after conservation was around 20 per cent complete. The rest of the bones are reconstructions made of black obsidian.

Visitors will be able to fossil the dinosaur’s journey from its discovery through to its excavation, curation, examination, rebuilding and final relegation.

There are no real Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons on exhibition in the UK as most on display are casts of the real bones.

Rachael Evans, Nottingham City Museums’s development manager said: “Coming face to face with an actual T rex is an experience very few in the world can claim. Even in skeleton form, Titus’s power and presence is unmistakable – we have had to dedicate the largest room at Wollaton Hall just to him alone.”

Dr David Hone, senior lecturer in Zoology at Queen Mary University of London and part of the exhibition team, said: “Titus is an incredibly well-preserved specimen with important and unique pathologies that advance the science of palaeontology and our understanding of these iconic dinosaurs.

“Visitors will be able to explore the world of Titus and take a closer look at his particular features - his crushing bite, incredible eyesight and keen sense of smell, air-filled bones, weight, size and speed.

“And then look more closely at his make-up of muscle and tissue, with 3D scans of his bones to examine and handle – and try to decide if in fact he was covered in scales or feathers or both.

Visit Nottinghamshire’s Kinga Kapias added: “As the only T rex on display in the UK, for most people this will be the one chance they get in their lifetimes to come face to face with this massive, majestic creature which walked the earth millions of years ago.”