New Augmented Reality Feature Added to Blockbuster Dinosaurs Revealed: Journey Across America Exhibition

Officials at Union Station today announced total attendance for "Dinosaurs Revealed: Journey Across America" has surpassed 100,000 guests.

"When we started planning this massive exhibition nearly two years ago, we had a good sense the appeal to Kansas City and the entire region would be very strong," George Guastello, Union Station president and CEO, said. "We've now seen that sense materialize and move into record-setting territory. The history and mystery of dinosaurs captures imaginations and compels visitors of all ages to explore and expand their understanding of prehistoric life right in our own backyards. The upcoming holiday season is the perfect time to experience Dinosaurs Revealed , before it too is extinct!"

With over 100,000 guests in just four months, "Dinosaurs Revealed: Journey Across America" is on pace to be one of the top performing exhibits at Union Station in the last six years.

"In this interactive journey through 250 Million years of prehistoric history, there's something to discover around every turn," Jerry Baber, Union Station executive vice president and COO, said. "Twenty-six life-size, life-like animatronic dinosaurs command attention and invite guests to explore, touch real dinosaur bones (up to 145 million years old), study over 50 priceless dinosaur fossils and fossil casts, experience the diverse environments in which dinosaurs lived, and interact with real paleontologists to hear about dinosaur-hunting adventures. There's so much content. It's really a powerful experience."

New AUGMENTED REALITY Just Added: Located within the exhibition, "Back to The Jurassic" is a cutting-edge, state-of-the-art augmented reality experience that invites guests to stand alongside and interact with life-size dinosaurs and capture it all with terrific, social-media-worthy photos.

Union Station added this new Augmented Reality feature in order to mix the latest technology with a powerful prehistoric perspective and deliver content in yet another compelling way.

New SCHOOL GROUP Option Also Added: At no extra cost, school groups now have the option to add to their Dinosaurs Revealed visit with a live, 30-minute, theatre-style Dinosaur Discovery Lecture presented by a trained Science City educator. These fast-paced, age-appropriate lectures are available on a limited basis, so please call Katlyn Baker at 816-460-2093 for additional details.

"The addition of our augmented reality and school group lecture delivers even more value to our guest experience, at no extra cost," Jeff Rosenblatt, Union Station Director of Exhibits, said. "Dinosaurs Revealed was already packed with tremendous educational content presented in a very compelling and interactive format. We hadn't planned to add more, but when the opportunities presented themselves, we jumped at the chance. Guest response has been immediate and very positive. It's what we do . . . constantly find new ways to deliver truly exceptional value."

Union Station also teased audiences today with a peak at a "Dinosaur On The Loose" feature in which Kansas Citians can meet a life-size, walking dinosaur at popular public holiday gathering places. Plans are to let the dinosaur loose in the next few weeks. Watch for details on Union Station's Facebook page.

" Dinosaurs Revealed: Journey Across America" is a limited engagement with tickets starting as low as $12.50. To purchase tickets in advance and for other details, please visit unionstation.org. Guests are encouraged to purchase tickets online in advance in anticipation of a significant surge in holiday attendance.

Union Station Kansas City -- a 501(c)3 non-profit organization -- is a 104-year-old historical landmark and celebrated civic asset renovated and reopened to the public in 1999. Recently awarded "Favorite Attraction", "Favorite Family-Friendly Attraction" and "Favorite Historic Attraction", the organization -- dedicated to science education, celebration of community and preservation of history -- is home to Kansas City's internationally-awarded Science City; the new Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium; the Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre; the popular Model Railroad Experience; City Stage featuring live theater, and a selection of unique shops and restaurants. Union Station is also home to prominent area civic organizations and businesses, and regularly hosts world-class traveling exhibitions. Awarded "Top Banquet Facilities in KC" by KC Business Journal, the facility annually hosts hundreds of community events and private celebrations of all sizes.

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