FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 9, 2018
MEDIA CONTACT: Cody Hefner (513) 608-5777, chefner@cincymuseum.org
United Dairy Farmers makes pivotal gift to Cincinnati Museum Center's new Dinosaur Hall
Lead gift funds one-of-a-kind Torvosaurus skeleton as museum celebrates 200 years
CINCINNATI – United Dairy Farmers (UDF) is helping to open the world of science to a new generation of learners and explorers at Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC). UDF recently made a gift in support of CMC’s new Dinosaur Hall, opening in November 2018. The gift is a timely investment in CMC’s future as the Museum of Natural History & Science begins a celebration of its 200th year.
Part of CMC’s first phase of exhibits to open following Union Terminal’s historic restoration, the Dinosaur Hall will feature six rare dinosaur specimens, prehistoric beasts that will tower over excited guests of all ages. Among the incredible fossil skeletons making their debut in the Dinosaur Hall is the Torvosaurus, the apex predator of the Jurassic era. CMC’s Torvosaurus is the only one of its kind in the world. Previous specimens were known only through isolated bones but CMC’s is what paleontologists call “fully associated,” meaning it was found largely intact. The rarity and presentation of the 35-foot, four-ton carnivorous beast piqued UDF’s interest. 
“The Torvosaurus really put into perspective for us just how incredible Cincinnati Museum Center’s new Dinosaur Hall will be,” said Bob Lindner, Jr. “Dinosaurs are simply exciting for children as well as adults. Such a display of these creatures from the past will certainly add to the grandeur of Cincinnati Museum Center.”
The Dinosaur Hall is a fitting first gallery to open in the Museum of Natural History & Science as it begins to celebrate its 200th year. The museum was founded as the Western Museum Society in 1818 and included fossils as part of its collections. In the two centuries since, the Museum of Natural History & Science has grown its collections, building on that legacy to become one of the premier collecting institutions in the country.
“As we look back on the legacy of the Museum of Natural History & Science over the past 200 years, there really is no better way to celebrate than by debuting specimens new to the public and scientific community that you can’t find anywhere else in the world, and doing it in a way that is absolutely breathtaking,” says Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center.
UDF has been a supporter of CMC for over 30 years, creating memorable museum experiences in a variety of ways.
“Our father’s first experience leaving home was when he shipped off to boot camp through Union Terminal during World War II,” said Lindner, Jr. “Like many others who had the same experience during the war, he developed an emotional attachment to the building. When he learned of the movement to preserve Union Terminal as home to Cincinnati Museum Center, he believed there could not have been a more fitting occupant for the building which held such memories.”
The family’s first gift came in 1986 when Robert D. Lindner, Sr. supported the endowment to move the museums to Union Terminal. In 2005, the Robert D. Lindner Family gave their first transformative gift to help CMC renovate the OMNIMAX® Theater. This legacy of giving continues with UDF’s gift in support of the Dinosaur Hall.
“We are continually grateful to UDF for their support of Cincinnati Museum Center and the work we do to strengthen and enrich our community,” said Pierce. “Their support allows us to have a greater impact, to create even more lifelong learners and to demonstrate our role as a scientific thought leader and resource.”
“Paleontology is a gateway science that encourages people to learn about the world, to study science, to study math, to love reading,” said Glenn Storrs, PhD, associate vice president for science & research and Withrow Farny Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at Cincinnati Museum Center. “UDF’s commitment to furthering the field of paleontology and our participation in important research is invaluable to our community and to the thousands of future scientists who will get the itch to learn more in our Dinosaur Hall.”
As Union Terminal completes the first structural restoration in its 85-year history, CMC is preparing for a bold future. The 2018 opening of the Dinosaur Hall in the Museum of Natural History & Science and the Public Landing in the Cincinnati History Museum are the first phase of new museum experiences. Support from individuals and organizations like UDF are making that future possible and setting CMC on a path to continue to open transformative exhibits over the coming years.
See the Torvosaurus and the Dinosaur Hall for yourself when they open to the public on November 17, 2018.
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About Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution and national historic landmark. Dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration, CMC was awarded the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2012. CMC is one of a select few museums in the nation with both of these honors, making it a unique asset and a vital community resource. Union Terminal has been voted the nation's 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater and Cincinnati History Library & Archives. Recognized by Forbes Traveler Magazine as the 17th most visited museum in the country, CMC welcomes more than one million visitors annually. For more information, visit www.cincymuseum.org.