DUBAI- It is official: The 155 million-year-old female dinosaur exhibit that has earned tremendous appreciation from visitors all over the world at The Dubai Mall has been named ‘DubaiDino.’
The name was chosen from thousands of entries for the #NameTDMDino competition held on social media platforms and across educational institutions, since the exhibit was unveiled in March this year. Nearly 300 entries were received every day. ‘DubaiDino’ emerged as the clear favourite surpassing other names suggested.
Johara Al Bayedh from Saudi Arabia, who was the first to recommend the name, received the prize to visit ‘Jurassic Park’ in Universal Studios, Orlando, US, with her family for a five-day, six-night excursion, inclusive of flights, accommodation and tickets to the attraction. Her entry was shortlisted using a state-of-the-art IT system that identified the date and time of the post. The name was chosen by a panel of experts in line with set corporate and cultural guidelines.
Ms. Natalie Bogdanova, Senior Director, Business Development & Operations, Emaar Malls Group, said: “‘DubaiDino’ was chosen for its simplicity and clarity, in addition to highlighting the location of this unique exhibit, thus adding to the civic pride of the city. The enthusiastic participation to the #NameTDMDino competition highlighted the emotional connect that our new exhibit makes with our visitors. Today, ‘DubaiDino’ is undisputedly one of the most visited tourist attractions in the mall and the city.”
Sporting the new identity, the 155-million year old dinosaur fossil will now also feature a bilingual logo and illustration. Visitors will soon be able to take home souvenirs from their visit to the magnificent exhibit with a range of branded products to be showcased near the exhibit shortly.
The ‘DubaiDino’ exhibit is open to public daily at the Grand Atrium of The Dubai Mall. At 24.4 metres long and 7.6 metres high, ‘DubaiDino,’ a Diplotocus Longus dinosaur fossil, is set apart by its long tail sweeping behind and an equally slender long neck rising eerily high as if bracing for battle.
With nearly 90 percent of its bones being original, the fossil is rated high in scientific integrity and is an unmatched specimen in terms of quality in any museum or private collections. Visitors can learn more about the Late Jurassic Period dinosaur from a dedicated team on-site.