ALL HAIL ZUUL

Exhibition Reviews | Maddy Howard

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There's a new dinosaur on the block, and its name is ZUUL: The Destroyer of Shins.

ZUUL, in all its 2.5-ton, plant-eating glory, was discovered in 2014 by ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) palaeontologists in Havre, Montana. Named for its resemblance to the 1984 Ghostbusters monster, this horned, "gnarly-faced" beast has now been put on display in ZUUL: Life of an Armoured Dinosaur.

A fight between ZUUL and GORGOSAURUS. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

This ROM original exhibition asks the question, what was life like for ZUUL nearly seventy-six million years ago? ZUUL takes all you aspiring palaeontologists on a trip back in time to see how this well-protected dino handled life in the Cretaceous period. With its spiked tail club, ZUUL definitely earned its name as Destroyer of Shins.

ZUUL provides visitors with interactive, hands-on activities alongside information about ZUUL, its life, death, and discovery.

Ankylosaur trail. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Who doesn't love learning about dinosaurs? This exhibition definitely had a little bit of something for all visitors to enjoy. Kids and adults alike will enjoy walking amongst the different dino skulls, and learning exactly what it is that makes ZUUL, ZUUL. Fossils of different ankylosaur skulls introduce visitors to the different species in the family that ZUUL belongs too. This dinosaur walkway ends with visitors getting the chance to come face to face with ZUUL.

Meet ZUUL. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Now, one element that really stuck out to me was the interactive components. I know it's super tempting to reach and touch the fossils on display, but DON'T! Instead, ZUUL has bronze copies of different bones, and parts of ZUUL and GORGOSAURUS (uncovered near ZUUL) that visitors can touch to satisfy their desire to run their fingers over ZUUL's spiked back.

Bronze shin from GORGOSAURUS. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

There were also different games for kids and adults alike to try. My favourite game was the Duel ZUUL game. Controlling your own ZUUL, players try to defeat three different types of dinos. I beat the GORGOSAURUS by the way.

Duel ZUUL game. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

ZUUL is informative and fun, but sometimes text can be overwhelming. Even though I love to stop and read everything, I understand that not everyone does, especially when you have to wrangle kids away from the fossils on display. That's why I really liked the little comic panels that guided visitors through the space. These little comics gave visitors information in a fun and campy way.

What's in a name? Panel. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Finally, the best part, hands down, is that visitors get to see the actual body of ZUUL! These aren't reproductions. ZUUL has one of the most complete skeletons ever found, and visitors get to see his massive tail and body. This was easily the best part, knowing that you're standing inches away from something seventy-six million years old! It's definitely an experience!

ZUUL's shin-destroying tail. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard.

ZUUL's real body. Photo courtesy of Maddy Howard. 

ZUUL: The Life of an Armoured Dinosaur reminds visitors of the massive beasts that roamed the earth ages ago. Mixing games, interactives, comics, fossils, and information, ZUUL covers all its bases and makes sure that there's something there for everyone to enjoy. But staring into the face of this "gnarly-faced, horned armoured dinosaur with a sledgehammer-like tail" is sure to make anyone's day.

Visit the ROM soon to travel back millions of years, and be sure to bring something to protect your shins, because ZUUL is only here till May 20, 2019.

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