Sue is one of the largest, most extensive, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex specimens ever found, at over 90 percent recovered by bulk. The fossil was discovered on August 12, 1990 by American explorer and fossil collector Sue Hendrickson, and was named after her. Sue is now a permanent feature at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois.
The finding of the fossil gained a lot of media attention and subsequent controversy and lawsuits that involved the U.S. Federal government, Cheyenne River Native American reservation, the land owner Maurice Williams and the paleontologists of the Black Hills Institute who discovered Sue. Eventually the fossil was put up for auction with permission from the government, raising concerns of it being purchased by private collectors, depriving scientists and the general public of viewing access to the most complete fossil of a T-Rex.
The Field Museum in Chicago, with support from the California State University system, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, McDonald’s Corporation, and individual donors, was able to purchase Sue for a then record fossil auction price of over US$8,3 million.
Sue is one of the largest Tyrannosaurus specimens. It has a length of approx. 12.4 meters (40.7 ft) along the centra, stands 3.96 meters (13 ft) tall at the hips, and has been estimated to weigh between 8.4–14 metric tons. The T-Rex is approximately 67 million years old.
Preparation of the fossil for public display was a large effort resulting in multiple cast models, one of which is in display at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park in Florida. Initially the T. rex was put on display near the entrance on the first floor of the museum where it would remain for the next 18 years. The skull, being too heavy to mount for display with the body, is preserved in a special glass case on the second floor. Since 2019, Sue has its own exhibition gallery along with audio visual guide for visitors about the dinosaur’s history and characteristics.
Chicago has a lot more to offer in addition to the Field Museum of Natural History. Watch the video below to take an architecture tour of Chicago by the boat!
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