Lego brick-master Robin Sather was commissioned by the Telus World of Science to build the Albertaceratops head for its feature exhibit, Lost Worlds: From Dinosaurs to Ancient Civilizations.
Paleontologists think the creature was an evolutionary middle-step or intermediate between older, larger-horned dinosaurs and their small-horned descendants. "I've tried to incorporate that into the design," Sather said.
With help from Ryan and the Royal Tyrrell Museum, Sather spent about two months researching and perfecting his Albertaceratops design.
The head is about two-and-a-half metres high and more than a metre-and-a-half wide, both from side to side and front to back. He is one of only a handful of Lego Certified Professionals worldwide, adult hobbyists who have a formal working relationship with Lego but are not employed by the company.
When the dinosaur exhibit ends in September, children will be invited to dismantle Sather's Lego creation, rendering the Albertaceratops once again extinct.
The Telus World of Science Lost Worlds exhibit -- developed in co-operation with the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology -- opened on Saturday and runs until Sept. 3. It is designed to explore events that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs and the downfall of several ancient civilizations.
The paleontologist who discovered the Albertaceratops (me!) will give a presentation at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Telus World of Science.
