As one sauropod leaves the Museum for conservation work, another arrives
If you visit the Museum in the next few weeks, you’ll notice a flurry of activity in Kirtland Hall.
As part of our transformation project, the Museum is working to de-install our iconic sauropod specimen, Haplocanthosaurus delfsi, affectionately known as "Happy.” Happy is the holotype specimen for the species H. delfsi, which means our specimen serves as the benchmark for defining this species.
Haplocanthosaurus delfsi was excavated by the Museum in 1954 and has stood proudly in Kirtland Hall for decades. During this time, paleontologists have uncovered new information about the anatomy of dinosaurs—including the position and structure of their tails. Though Happy was previously mounted with its tail touching the floor, recent research indicates that dinosaurs were much more likely to hold their tails above the ground. That means it’s time for a makeover!
Happy is headed to Research Casting International, a well-known paleontological conservator in Ontario, Canada, to be remounted in an anatomical position that reflects the latest scientific evidence. In order for staff to access Happy and safely de-install the specimen, our Coelophysis, crocodile, and Allosaurus specimens will be de-installed at the same time.
Happy will be the first of the Museum’s dinosaurs to be removed from the gallery to undergo important restoration and/or remounting work before reinstallation in our new Visitor Hall in late 2023. Mark your calendars for Happy’s return! The newly mounted Happy will be one of the world's most accurately displayed fossil sauropods—the lineage of large dinosaurs of which Happy is a member.
This work presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the museum de-installation and installation process in person. Kirtland Hall will remain open throughout the process, and guests are invited to visit the Museum and witness this work as it happens.
In the meantime, we’re taking advantage of Happy’s vacated corner of the gallery to welcome a new specimen to Kirtland Hall. Immediately after Happy is removed, Research Casting International will install a cast of Diplodocus carnegii, also known as "Dippy.” This massive sauropod dinosaur currently resides at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. The cast will be on display in Kirtland through September 2022, providing a unique chance for Museum visitors to see a dinosaur species never before exhibited in Cleveland.
This famous specimen is much larger than Happy. Moreover, Dippy is mounted in an accurate position—offering an exciting sneak peek of Happy post-makeover.
