The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set, available exclusively at the LEGO Store, is a visually stunning and ambitious build. Upon first glance, you'll be taken aback by its size; this set is a 1:12 scale model of a real T-Rex, which translates to an impressive nearly three-and-a-half feet in length from tip to tail.
LEGO Jurassic World Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus rex
Priced at $249.99 at the LEGO Store, this set captivates with its intricate details. As you look closer, you'll notice the careful construction of the ribs at varying lengths to form a realistic rib "cage." The use of dark-colored bricks to create shadow effects highlights the light-colored "bone" bricks, enhancing the set's realism. Despite its apparent complexity, the set is surprisingly easy to assemble, making its detailed design even more impressive.
We Build LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex
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My childhood fascination with dinosaurs, particularly the towering T-Rex skeleton at the American Museum of Natural History, comes to mind when building this set. This experience is further enriched by Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder," a sci-fi short story that vividly captures the awe of encountering such a colossal creature:
"It came on great oiled, resilient, striding legs. It towered thirty feet above half of the trees, a great evil god, folding its delicate watchmaker's claws close to its oily reptilian chest. Each lower leg was a piston, a thousand pounds of white bone, sunk in thick ropes of muscle, sheathed over in a gleam of pebbled skin like the mail of a terrible warrior."
For many, the image of a T-Rex was once like this:
However, scientific understanding has evolved. The T-Rex did not walk upright with its tail dragging on the ground but stood more horizontally, with its spine parallel to the ground and its tail acting as a counterbalance to its head:
This photo showcases "Sue," the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton discovered to date (90%). The discovery by paleontologist Sue Hendrickson in 1990 transformed our understanding of the T-Rex's life and appearance. The tiny bones visible in the belly area, known as gastralia, were initially misunderstood but are now known to support the T-Rex's breathing and contribute to its more substantial, barrel-chested form.
The T-Rex from the 1993 film Jurassic Park reflects an outdated view of dinosaurs. While it shows a more horizontal posture, it still portrays a leaner body than what we now know to be accurate. With the discovery of the gastralia, we understand that the T-Rex was much heavier, weighing nine to ten tons, with a significant belly close to the ground.
This life-sized model, based on Sue's bones, offers our most accurate depiction of a T-Rex to date:
The LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex set reflects this updated scientific understanding, maintaining the T-Rex's horizontal positioning. While it does not include the gastralia, the rib positioning suggests a "barrel-chested" creature, contrasting with the lean, efficient killing machine often depicted in popular culture. The set's arms are positioned forward, consistent with the updated display of Sue at the Field Museum in Chicago.
The set comes in 25 sealed plastic bags. You start by building the black stand, followed by the T-Rex's backbone, which attaches to vertical supports. The rest of the model, including the neck, legs, hips, ribs, arms, tail, and head, is then assembled and attached. The legs and torso are fixed, but the arms, head, and tail are adjustable and posable.
Given its size, finding the right spot for this model can be challenging. It requires a wide, flat surface like a dresser or coffee table to truly showcase its magnificence. A shelf between other shelves would not do justice to its grandeur.
The set is technically part of LEGO's Jurassic Park franchise, which is why the final bag includes minifigures of Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler from the original film, along with a Jurassic Park-branded placard. However, this tie-in feels somewhat forced. The set's name, 'Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex,' does not mention the movie, and the instruction booklet even offers an option to remove the minifigure and placard display, allowing the skeleton to stand alone. This option underscores the set's standalone appeal, much like the LEGO Titanic build, which also does not rely on minifigure tie-ins for its allure.
LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex, Set #10335, retails for $269.99 and comprises 3011 pieces. It is available exclusively at the LEGO Store.
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