The 55 274 kg ‘Days of the Dinosaur’ exhibition has arrived in South Africa in 11 shipping con-tainers over a four-week, 15 000 km journey from Vigo, Spain.
The exhibition takes place at the Sandton International Convention Centre, in Johannes-burg, from June 20 to July 20, and at the Cape Town International Convention from July 31 to August 20.
The event, which is organised by publishing group Media 24’s Huisgenoot, YOU and DRUM magazines, features more than 45 life-size, animatronic dinosaurs to provide educational and family entertainment.
The dinosaurs’ animation is triggered by traditional infrared technology. The exhibition took seven days to set up, takes more than three days to dismantle and requires two riggers, two scaffolders and five technicians, as well as 14 casuals and supervisors from Argentina.
Huisgenoot, YOU and DRUM magazines marketing manager Edmund Beukes says setting up the exhibition was a challenge, as the eleven 12-m-high cube containers needed to be transported from the Durban depot to Johan-nesburg for the first leg of the show.
“The magazines are all about affordable family entertainment, and education is one of our key editorial pillars, so when we were presented with an opportunity to bring the Days of the Dinosaur exhibition to South Africa, we took it immediately.
“It presented us with an opportunity that could cover the objectives of all three brands because it’s as relevant to a family in Somerset West as it is to families in Sandton and Soweto. It is also something South Africans haven’t experienced before,” says Beukes.