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Thousands take in Te Papa’s jaw-inspiring dino exhibition

Monday, 29 April 2024

91,000 people bought tickets to Te Papa’s Dinosaurs of Patagonia/Ngā Taniwha o Rūpapa exhibition, which closed this weekend.
91,000 people bought tickets to Te Papa’s Dinosaurs of Patagonia/Ngā Taniwha o Rūpapa exhibition, which closed this weekend.

Will you marry me, he asked, flushed with emotion. Yes, she responded, a giant set of dinosaur teeth looming over her head.

It’s not a typical proposal location but for one lucky bride to be, being underneath a 30-metre long replica model while getting hitched to her love became a dream-turned-reality this summer at Te Papa’s Dinosaurs of Patagonia/Ngā Taniwha o Rūpapa exhibition, which closed this weekend just ended.

AJ Turner, a host supervisor at the exhibition, said the engagement was one of many highlights over its four and a half month run at the national museum.

Turner witnessed the proposal, saying it was a normal day before then, with the exhibition having been open for only about a month. The couple were walking around when the would-be groom discreetly approached staff.

“He approached one of the hosts on duty that day, and they had radioed me just to make sure it was OK to do that. So we talked with the guy, who asked where the best place was to … hide the box somewhere, so when he did get on one knee he didn’t have to fumble in his pocket,” Turner said.

People pictured under the Patagotitan replica, which was difficult even for The Post to photograph due to its gargantuan size.
People pictured under the Patagotitan replica, which was difficult even for The Post to photograph due to its gargantuan size.

Staff offered to take their engagement photos, and Turner said it was “really obvious” they were all waiting around for the big moment underneath the mock version of the Patagotitan mayorum, the largest dinosaur ever known to have roamed Earth.

Turner said it was a quiet proposal, with a short speech. “I deliberately stayed in the room so I could watch. I'm like, I want some joy in my life today. … It was a very private moment in a fairly crowded room.”

Unfortunately, while staff gave the couple their pictures, they forgot to get their contact details. It’s believed they may have been visiting Wellington from overseas.

Do you know the couple? Email andre.chumko@stuff.co.nz

Almost 91,000 tickets were sold to the dinosaur exhibition and related events, and that’s not even counting those sold from the final weekend. It’s performed well compared with previous blockbuster shows at Te Papa.

90% of visitors said the exhibition improved their perception of Wellington.
90% of visitors said the exhibition improved their perception of Wellington.

The Surrealist Art: Masterpieces from Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen exhibition featuring works from artists like Salvador Dalí in 2021 sold 75,000 tickets, while the Wonderland exhibition four summers ago sold 74,000.

“We are thrilled to have brought a show to New Zealand that has the latest science, infused with mātauranga Māori and with an enormous wow factor,” said Te Papa’s chief executive Courtney Johnston.

“So many people discover a lifelong love of science and learning through dinosaurs — and you can see that sense of wonder in the faces of kids in the exhibition. It's been a blast.”

The exhibition was spread over multiple galleries and featured replica skeletons of about a dozen dinosaurs from Argentina and 17 Argentinian fossils, along with four of New Zealand’s fossils that are kept under the care of GNS Science.

By the numbers