Jurassic snafu ranks Otago 'dinosaur' second best in world
But it appears there is a "slight twist" to the accolade.
The ranking comes from a study which analysed more than 200,000 TripAdvisor reviews of museums around the world, by travel insurance company InsureandGo.
It found Tūhura Otago Museum had a 96.5% approval rating from visitors on TripAdvisor, because it was home to New Zealand's largest fossil — the Matakaea Shag Point Plesiosaur.
The exhibit came in just behind the dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, and now both museums are getting a lot of global media attention from the rankings.
Tūhura marketing manager Charlie Buchan said staff at the museum were "thrilled" with the global attention, but there was a problem.
"There's a slight twist to this story.
"The incredible creature that everyone was raving about on TripAdvisor is not actually a dinosaur."
Mr Buchan said the plesiosaur was actually a marine reptile that lived at the same time as the dinosaurs, but was not officially classified as a dinosaur.
"My mum always told me, 'don't let the facts get in the way of a good story'.
"But working for a museum, we kind of have to," he said.
"So, technically, I guess we're disqualified."
Despite the jurassic snafu, Mr Buchan said the museum would still gladly take the international media coverage.
"As I always say, any press is good press."
The Matakaea Shag Point Plesiosaur fossil, named Kaiwhekea katiki, was discovered in 1983 by amateur palaeontologist Gary Raper, and is one of the most complete fossil finds in the country.
It is 6.5m long, making it a mid-sized plesiosaur, which likely preyed on soft-bodied sea creatures such as squid and fish, using its sharp teeth and powerful jaws.
Plesiosaurs were four-flippered reptiles with long necks and large forward-facing eyes, and were well-adapted to hunting in deep, low-light ocean environments.
Mr Buchan said the fossil had been dated to about 74 million years, and was an extraordinary example of marine life from the Cretaceous period.
So, while not technically a dinosaur, the plesiosaur continued to impress and inspire visitors from around the world, he said.
john.lewis@odt.co.nz
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Otago Daily Times
11-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Jurassic snafu ranks Otago 'dinosaur' second best in world
In a (pre)historic moment for Tūhura Otago Museum, its dinosaur exhibit has been ranked the second-best in the world. But it appears there is a "slight twist" to the accolade. The ranking comes from a study which analysed more than 200,000 TripAdvisor reviews of museums around the world, by travel insurance company InsureandGo. It found Tūhura Otago Museum had a 96.5% approval rating from visitors on TripAdvisor, because it was home to New Zealand's largest fossil — the Matakaea Shag Point Plesiosaur. The exhibit came in just behind the dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, and now both museums are getting a lot of global media attention from the rankings. Tūhura marketing manager Charlie Buchan said staff at the museum were "thrilled" with the global attention, but there was a problem. "There's a slight twist to this story. "The incredible creature that everyone was raving about on TripAdvisor is not actually a dinosaur." Mr Buchan said the plesiosaur was actually a marine reptile that lived at the same time as the dinosaurs, but was not officially classified as a dinosaur. "My mum always told me, 'don't let the facts get in the way of a good story'. "But working for a museum, we kind of have to," he said. "So, technically, I guess we're disqualified." Despite the jurassic snafu, Mr Buchan said the museum would still gladly take the international media coverage. "As I always say, any press is good press." The Matakaea Shag Point Plesiosaur fossil, named Kaiwhekea katiki, was discovered in 1983 by amateur palaeontologist Gary Raper, and is one of the most complete fossil finds in the country. It is 6.5m long, making it a mid-sized plesiosaur, which likely preyed on soft-bodied sea creatures such as squid and fish, using its sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Plesiosaurs were four-flippered reptiles with long necks and large forward-facing eyes, and were well-adapted to hunting in deep, low-light ocean environments. Mr Buchan said the fossil had been dated to about 74 million years, and was an extraordinary example of marine life from the Cretaceous period. So, while not technically a dinosaur, the plesiosaur continued to impress and inspire visitors from around the world, he said.
Otago Daily Times
10-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Exhibit's second-best ranking technically incorrect
In a (pre)historic moment for Tūhura Otago Museum, its dinosaur exhibit has been ranked the second-best in the world. But it appears there is a "slight twist" to the accolade. The ranking comes from a study which analysed more than 200,000 TripAdvisor reviews of museums around the world, by travel insurance company InsureandGo. It found Tūhura Otago Museum had a 96.5% approval rating from visitors on TripAdvisor, because it was home to New Zealand's largest fossil — the Matakaea Shag Point Plesiosaur. The exhibit came in just behind the dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, and now both museums are getting a lot of global media attention from the rankings. Tūhura marketing manager Charlie Buchan said staff at the museum were "thrilled" with the global attention, but there was a problem. "There's a slight twist to this story. "The incredible creature that everyone was raving about on TripAdvisor is not actually a dinosaur." Mr Buchan said the plesiosaur was actually a marine reptile that lived at the same time as the dinosaurs, but was not officially classified as a dinosaur. "My mum always told me, 'don't let the facts get in the way of a good story'. "But working for a museum, we kind of have to," he said. "So, technically, I guess we're disqualified." Despite the jurassic snafu, Mr Buchan said the museum would still gladly take the international media coverage. "As I always say, any press is good press." The Matakaea Shag Point Plesiosaur fossil, named Kaiwhekea katiki, was discovered in 1983 by amateur palaeontologist Gary Raper, and is one of the most complete fossil finds in the country. It is 6.5m long, making it a mid-sized plesiosaur, which likely preyed on soft-bodied sea creatures such as squid and fish, using its sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Plesiosaurs were four-flippered reptiles with long necks and large forward-facing eyes, and were well-adapted to hunting in deep, low-light ocean environments. Mr Buchan said the fossil had been dated to about 74 million years, and was an extraordinary example of marine life from the Cretaceous period. So, while not technically a dinosaur, the plesiosaur continued to impress and inspire visitors from around the world, he said.
Otago Daily Times
05-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Photographers make finals
Oamaru's photographic talent came into sharp focus at Otago's largest nature photography competition at the Tūhura Otago Museum in Dunedin last week. The exhibition of photographs, titled "Otago's Lens on the Wild World", opened last week and runs until October 12 in the museum's special exhibitions gallery. More than 4450 entries were submitted across Otago, and finalists included Oamaru photographers Tom Davies and Gary Speer. Mr Davies had four images chosen from the wildlife, botanical and natural abstract categories, while Mr Speer had two images selected as finalists in the exhibition, which celebrates the region's biodiversity and creativity. Mr Davies said it was an honour and a shock to be recognised by the museum. "It came as quite a surprise, especially knowing how rich and diverse the talent pool is in New Zealand. "Now that the shock has worn off, I feel deeply grateful that I get to live in a part of the world as beautiful as Otago and how lucky we are to have all this on our doorstep," he said. Tūhura Otago Museum marketing manager Charlie Buchan said it was a "huge achievement" for both photographers to be chosen as finalists. Their entries included stunning photographs of fungi, flowers and Oamaru's local wildlife, showcasing the breadth and creativity of nature photography coming out of the North Otago region, Mr Buchan said. Oamaru made a strong impression with a significant number of standout entries, he said. "It highlights the town's growing reputation as a hub for amateur photographers inspired by the wild beauty of their local environment. "The exhibition brings together the best of what our region sees every day, through the lenses of people who really care about the natural world around them," Mr Buchan said. The 2025 Tūhura Otago Museum Photographer of the Year was won by Sam McGee, 17, of Dunedin, for his entry, Water Wings. He also won the wildlife youth section.
