There are two replicas of a Brachiosaurus discovered by paleontologist Elmer S. Riggs, both of which have been on public display in Chicago, in the U.S. state of Illinois.[1][2][3][4] The original replica was unveiled at the Field Museum of Natural History in 1993 and relocated to O'Hare International Airport in 1997. An all-weather cast, created in 1999 and referred to as Brachiosaurus Replica by Chicago Park District,[5] was displayed outside the Field Museum until 2022, when disassembly was required after an inspection revealed there was damage. Both replicas have been outfitted with clothing representing Chicago sports teams.
In 1997, the 72-foot-tall skeleton was relocated to the United Airlines Terminal at O'Hare International Airport's Terminal 1 (Concourse B).[5][7][8][9] It is installed outside the Field Museum's store,[10] and has been described as one of the best Brachiosaurus skeletons.[11] In 2019, United Airlines outfitted the replica with a Chicago Bears jersey.[12]
In 2010, Smithsonian magazine's science correspondence Riley Black wrote, "On my way back from Montana, I had a layover in Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, and it was there that I spotted this impressive mount of Brachiosaurus altithorax... I have to say that seeing this one near my departure terminal made me think about heading right back out into the field."[13]Travel + Leisure noted the replica in a 2015 overview of nine airports in the U.S. "for art lovers".[8] In 2017, Jenny Xie ranked the replica nineteenth in Curbed's list of 27 "cool airport amenities, in order of increasing absurdity".[14]Time Out included a viewing of the dinosaur in a 2023 list of the ten "best things to do" at O'Hare.[10]
In 1999, an all-weather cast of Riggs' Brachiosaurus was installed on the museum's northwest terrace. The replica was visible from Lake Shore Drive and became "iconic for donning the jersey of various Chicago teams during sports seasons", according to Chicago Park District.[5]Vice magazine described the replica as "four stories tall, prodigiously forelimbed, skull-crested king of thundering behemoths, with a ribcage the size of a studio apartment".[15]
The skeleton was outfitted with Chicago Blackhawks clothing in 2009,[16] 2010,[17] and 2014.[18] The Blackhawks clothing, which was designed by Gary Heitz of Chicago Scenic Studios, could not be used in 2015 because of weather damage.[19][20] The dinosaur was outfitted with a Chicago Bears jersey in 2017.[21] In 2018, the 45-foot-tall, 2,000-pound replica sported a custom-fit Chicago Cubs jersey ahead of playoffs.[22]
In 2022, the cast was disassembled after an inspection showed signs of "severe" damage. The steel used to hold pieces together was slated for recycling.[23]
^SILBERNAGEL, BOB (2024-10-11). "Riggs put Grand Valley dinosaurs on the map 120 years ago". The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-10-11. A plaster cast of what the Brachiosaurus skeleton may have looked like is on display outside the Field Museum. But it is believed to be a composite, using casts of bones from other dinosaurs as well as Riggs' Brachiosaurus to produce a replica of a full skeleton.
^"How to Navigate Chicago's Airports". Chicago Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-06-17. Retrieved 2024-10-11. Next stop: the 72-foot-tall brachiosaurus skeleton in Terminal 1, a gift from the Field Museum.
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