LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex Skeleton Model Unveiled After 68 Million Years

The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set, available exclusively at the LEGO Store, is a visually stunning and ambitious build. Upon first glance, you're struck by its size; this is a 1:12 scale model of a real T-Rex. The detail is remarkable: the ribs are crafted at varying lengths to form a realistic rib "cage," and the use of dark-colored bricks creates shadows that highlight the light-colored "bone" bricks, giving the model an authentic fossil appearance. Despite its intricate look, the set is surprisingly easy to assemble, which only adds to its impressiveness.

LEGO Jurassic World Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus rex

$249.99 at LEGO Store

We Build LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex

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As a child, I was fascinated by dinosaurs, and my visits to the American Museum of Natural History always left me in awe of the towering T-Rex skeleton. Later, reading Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder," I was captivated by his vivid description of the T-Rex:

"It came on great oiled, resilient, striding legs. It towered thirty feet above half of the trees, a great evil god, folding its delicate watchmaker's claws close to its oily reptilian chest. Each lower leg was a piston, a thousand pounds of white bone, sunk in thick ropes of muscle, sheathed over in a gleam of pebbled skin like the mail of a terrible warrior."

Like many of my generation, I grew up with the image of the T-Rex standing upright with its tail dragging on the ground:

However, scientific understanding has evolved, revealing that the T-Rex actually stood with its spine parallel to the ground and its tail as a counterbalance to its head:

This photo is of "Sue," the most complete T-Rex skeleton discovered (90%). Sue Hendrickson's discovery in 1990 revolutionized our understanding of the T-Rex. The tiny bones in the T-Rex's belly, known as *gastralia*, were initially omitted from public displays due to uncertainty about their placement. We now know these bones supported the T-Rex's breathing and contributed to its body structure.

The 1993 film *Jurassic Park* depicted the T-Rex with a more horizontal stance than earlier models, yet it still appeared leaner than modern reconstructions. Thanks to the discovery of the gastralia, we now understand that the T-Rex weighed between nine to ten tons, much heavier than previously estimated, with a substantial belly that hung close to the ground.

This life-sized model, based on Sue's bones, provides our most accurate depiction of a T-Rex:

It's both chubbier and more endearing than previously thought, isn't it?

The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set reflects this updated scientific understanding with its horizontal positioning. While it does not include the gastralia, the rib placement suggests a "barrel-chested" creature, deviating from the lean, efficient killing machine of popular culture. The model's arms are positioned forward, mirroring the updated display of "Sue" at the Field Museum in Chicago.

The set comes in 25 sealed plastic bags. You start by assembling the black stand, followed by the T-Rex's backbone, which attaches to vertical supports. The rest of the model then hangs onto this structure. Next, you build the neck, followed by the legs and hips, which connect to the spine and anchor to the base. The ribs and arms come next, then the tail, and finally, the head. The legs and torso are fixed, but the arms, head, and tail are adjustable and posable.

Measuring nearly three-and-a-half feet from tip to tail, this model may pose space challenges. It will command attention wherever it's displayed, ideally on a wide, flat surface like a dresser or coffee table, rather than squeezed between shelves. Choose a location that highlights its magnificence.

Although technically part of LEGO's Jurassic Park franchise, the set's connection feels forced. It includes minifigures of Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler from the original film, along with a Jurassic Park-branded placard. However, the set's name and the option to remove these elements in the instructions suggest a disconnect from the franchise. This massive, detailed T-Rex doesn't need the movie tie-in to sell; its size, scope, and price make it a standalone masterpiece, akin to the LEGO Titanic set.

LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex, Set #10335, retails for $269.99 and consists of 3011 pieces. It is available exclusively at the LEGO Store.

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