Kentucky Science Center announces name of newly installed World's Fair Triceratops

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Kentucky Science Center's newest dinosaur finally has a name.

On Saturday, during "Dino Day," the museum announced that the refurbished World's Fair Triceratops recently installed on top of the building will be named "Lottie."

The name comes from the fact that the gigantic model dinosaur overlooks the museum's parking lot.

It was one of nine fiberglass dinosaurs created for part of an exhibit led by the Sinclair Oil company for the 1964 World's Fair. The Triceratops was later gifted to the city of Louisville, where it lived at the Louisville Zoo between 1970-79 when it moved to the Kentucky Science Center's parking lot until 2007.

After being moved to a storage unit for several years, the 10-foot tall, 25-foot long, nearly 5,000-pound dinosaur is now back downtown on the top of the parking lot elevator at the Kentucky Science Center to keep it safe from drivers and the Ohio River.

Visitors at the special "Dino Day" event Saturday got the chance to get up close and personal with costumed dinosaur characters at the Dino Dance Party and meet modern reptiles. They also had the chance to try their hands at paleontology-themed activities. There was also a showing of "Dinosaurs of Antarctica" in the center's four-story digital theater.

"Rex" — the resident T-Rex hand puppet at the Kentucky Science Center — told WDRB it was a ROAR-ing good time.

"Right now, we're having a Dino Dance Party. We're building some Dino Masks, making some fossils, and here in a little bit, there may be an explosion!" he teased.

Most of the day's activities are free with admission.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

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