Museum and ISU Programs Team Up to Create Exhibits

When paleontology meets auto repair and welding, a prehistoric giant comes to life.

The Museum and the College of Technology’s Welding and Auto Collision Repair & Refinishing programs at Idaho State University joined forces to create a 3D fossil replica for our groundbreaking exhibit, Dinosaurs from the Mountain. The unique collaboration exemplifies the multi-disciplinary approach the university fosters, blending art, technology and science to engage the community in educational experiences.

The exhibit’s crown jewel is a 10-foot tall, 20-foot long model of the Gigantoraptor— a dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period that lived around 100 million years ago. The dinosaur was first discovered 18 years ago in the Iren Dabasu Formation in Erenhot, Mongolia. However, the model at IMNH features elements based on fossils from Idaho, Utah, Montana and even China.

“This collaborative effort is really exciting to us here at the Museum,” said Robert Gay, the Museum’s Education Coordinator.

Over the last year, Tim Gomes, the Idaho Virtualization Laboratory Manager at the IMNH, utilized ZBrush modeling software to meticulously create individual bones of the Gigantoraptor. This challenging project was a result of a close collaboration with Dr. Brandon Peecook, the Assistant Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology.

“This project has been one of the hardest projects I have ever worked on,” said Gomes. “I have certainly learned a great deal from it.”

Once 3D printed, the fossil replicas were handed off to Russel Butler and the Auto Collision Repair & Refinishing students for finishing and painting. The welding program then expertly welded the fossil replicas onto a robust metal frame, ensuring the exhibit's stability and authenticity. The students were thrilled to tackle a project so different from their usual work.