ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is hosting “March of the Triceratops” until May 2026, a major new exhibition developed by Naturalis Biodiversity Centre based in Leiden, Netherlands, with Abu Dhabi as the first stop on its global tour.
Featuring the only known Triceratops herd ever discovered, the exhibition immerses visitors in a prehistoric family scene, rather than in front of a single skeleton, using life-sized reconstructions, atmospheric lighting and soundscapes to evoke Late Cretaceous floodplains and forests.
Highlights include an animatronic baby Triceratops resting beside its mother, interactive “Tricera-Scopes” that visualise the herd in motion and hands-on fossil discovery experiences that mirror the techniques used by the Naturalis team in the field.
Excavated over six field seasons near Newcastle, Wyoming, USA, the Triceratops herd includes more than 1,200 bones and fragments from five individuals, ranging from sub-adults to adults and preserved together in a single rock layer.
The completeness and context of the fossils offer rare insights into how these giant herbivores may have lived, moved and interacted as a group more than 67 million years ago, at the very end of the Cretaceous Period.
Dr Peter Kjærgaard, Director of Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, said: “Hosting the March of the Triceratops exhibition reflects our commitment to connecting Abu Dhabi with the story of life on Earth through long-term partnerships with leading scientific institutions.
“This extraordinary Triceratops herd, and the research behind it, allows our visitors to experience deep time in a way that is both scientifically rigorous and emotionally powerful, while positioning Abu Dhabi at the forefront of global conversations on natural history.”
Marjolein van Breemen, Director of Naturalis Biodiversity Center, said: “The Triceratops herd project brings together years of fieldwork, fossil preparation and advanced imaging by an international team of scientists.
“By collaborating with Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, we are not only sharing a unique scientific discovery with new audiences in the Middle East, but also building a partnership that advances research, education and public engagement on life’s history at a global scale.”
The partnership between Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and Naturalis Biodiversity Center aims to make cutting-edge science accessible to the public and to researchers. Through exhibitions like March of the Triceratops, the two institutions are expanding access to global discoveries while inspiring curiosity, critical thinking and stewardship of the planet’s past, present and future.
The museum is open weekdays from 10am to 6.30pm and weekends from 10am to 8.30pm.