Giant footprints have appeared in the sand at St Kilda Beach, signalling the return of dinosaurs to Dunedin, Tūhura Otago Museum, 21 August 2026

The oversized tracks appeared ahead of Dinosaurs: Surviving Extinction, opening at Tūhura on 5 September, their largest exhibition in 18 months.

Tūhura Otago Museum Marketing Manager Charlie Buchan said dinosaurs had consistently been among the Museum’s biggest drawcards.

“Who doesn’t love dinosaurs? They’re one of the first things you think of when you think of museums. It’s crazy to imagine these giant creatures once walked the Earth, and even cooler to see them up close without the risk of being eaten.”

“We’re hoping our friends from across Otago and Southland will bring the family to Dunedin to see it. It’s been almost a couple of years since we’ve had an exhibition of this scale, and it’s definitely worth the trip.”

Produced by Gondwana Studios, the exhibition explores how dinosaurs did not entirely disappear during the mass extinction around 66 million years ago, with one lineage surviving and evolving into modern birds.

Visitors will compare three dinosaur groups and examine the evidence linking dinosaurs and birds. Displays include a Probactrosaurus measuring more than three metres long, a juvenile Oviraptor, a Teratophoneus skull and interactive areas.

Design and Exhibitions Manager Shanaya Cunningham said the exhibition had been a particularly fun project to work on.

“I’ve done so much dinosaur research for this project that I’m starting to feel a bit like Ross Geller from Friends. I’m basically a palaeontologist now.”

The University of Otago is the exhibition’s premier partner, with its Geology Department also involved in events and activities during the exhibition’s four-month stay in Dunedin.

Cunningham said people could expect to see the dinosaurs extend beyond the Museum.

“We’ve got some great ideas up our sleeves. The footprints at St Kilda are a bit of a taste of what people can expect. We want dinosaurs popping up in some unexpected places while the exhibition is here.”