MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A new dinosaur exhibit is coming to the Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM). Bringing T. rex and its ancestors back from extinction, "Tyrannosaurs - Meet the Family" opens Friday, Feb. 18 and will run through May 18. 

According to a news release, the highly engaging exhibition explores the latest discoveries about the tyrannosaurs’ family tree, overturning our preconceptions about these dominating dinos. While the most famous tyrannosaur is the ferocious T. rex, paleontologists now know the king of the tyrant lizards (as its name means) was one of the last in a long line of tyrannosaurs that came in all shapes, sizes, colors and textures, spanning different continents and time periods.

“Tyrannosaurs - Meet the Family is unlike any other exhibit we’ve had at the Museum,” said MPM President and CEO Dr. Ellen Censky. “It showcases the important discoveries scientists have made over the past couple decades about why tyrannosaurs evolved the way they did during different time periods on Earth, while using impressive and interactive displays as well as technology to keep visitors engaged from beginning to end.”

This special exhibition, created by the Australian Museum and toured internationally by Flying Fish, features five complete tyrannosaur cast skeletons, seven tyrannosaur cast skulls, three life-sized models of feathered dinosaurs, an immersive video projection tunnel, hands-on activities, a dinosaur-themed gift shop and more.

Tyrannosaurs - Meet the Family is open during regular MPM hours -- Wednesday through Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online HERE or by calling 414-278-2728. 

The exhibit explores several key themes:

1. What is a tyrannosaur: Learn about the key features that define a tyrannosaur and make them different from other dinosaur groups.

2. Meet the family: Tyrannosaurs came in a range of sizes and shapes, some with feathers, some without and some much more threatening than others.

3. Explore the family: Tyrannosaurs lived in different habitats, at different times and evolved to fill different ecological niches.

4. T. rex—the ultimate: What makes T. rex one of the most formidable predators that ever lived? The focal piece of this section is the cast of “Scotty,” one of the largest and most complete T. rex specimens in the world.

5. Tyrannosaurs, the legacy: Despite their final demise during one of Earth’s biggest mass extinction events, tyrannosaurs live on—in our imagination, our culture and in their bird cousins in our backyard.