Black Hills Institute Unveils Another One-of-a-Kind Specimen

Black Hills Institute (BHI), the largest private fossil company in the world, first opened its doors as Black Hills Minerals—more than 50 years ago. For its charismatic founder, Pete Larson, “work-life balance” means “life is balanced when you get to work on dinosaurs.” 

That’s how 50 years became possible—and how the next 50 are beginning. “This company is like a dream, sort of an impossible reality that seems to have stayed alive because Pete kept saying ‘yes’ to things,” Operations Manager Adam Weaver says. “He has a history of saying ‘yes’—’yes’ to digging his first dinosaur when he had no idea how, ‘yes’ to exploring other countries, ‘yes’ to meeting impossible deadlines—and the Institute keeps going and going and going.” 

Pete first hopped into an old VW Beetle to attend the Tucson Show in 1973—and almost every year since then, his team has gone south with new and exciting treasures. This year is no different. Their booth at the Mineral & Fossil Marketplace is always a spot where old friends meet and new paleo enthusiasts fall in love with fossils—such as an abundance of Hell Creek bones and teeth, cast replicas (from Stegosaurus, T. rex, and more), and a great variety of specimens from the Badlands of Nebraska (come early for those, because they go fast). But this year, there’s also a fun new story:

First-ever Brachiosaurus Skull

Brachiosaurus was first described in 1901, then again in 1903, thanks to a small collection of giant bones—legs, arms, vertebrae—that sketched out an impressive 32-foot-tall plant-eating creature. Even without a head, this dinosaur captured the public’s imagination. Scientists made their best guess as to how this extraordinary creature’s face would have looked—a guess informed by the similarly built, gigantic Giraffatitan brancai from Tanzania. Over ensuing decades, other specimens, including fragmentary Brachiosaurus skull material, encouraged revised species descriptions—but John Babiarz’s groundbreaking 2017 discovery of a new Brachiosaurus skull is indeed updating history.

BHI’s Matt Seney spent the last year and a half with what is now the species’ most complete skull. After completing the preparation, he molded the elements, allowing the BHI team to 3D-scan and print them. The scans allowed the team to mirror missing bones and create models that could be “uncrushed” and rebuilt to form the new face of this fan favorite. Thanks to this hard work, Brachiosaurus will be redescribed. Again. For the first time in history, enthusiasts can join Brachiosaurus in making history by purchasing a cast replica of the species' most accurate skull.

New Book Editions & Book Signings!

Along with this new story, Pete Larson and his co-author, Kristin Donnan, have also refreshed some of their most popular and familiar stories.  They’ll be signing new editions of their books—in person in BHI’s booth—on February 1st  and 2nd. Wholesale orders also can be arranged.

 

• The long-awaited 2nd edition of Bones Rock! Everything You Need to Know to Be a Paleontologist 

• A new updated and expanded Rex Appeal²: The Real Story of Sue. 

While Bones Rock! is aimed at kids, it’s written for all ages (even adults!). It provides practical skills and techniques, has been updated with the coolest new science, profiles children who have made significant discoveries and includes a STEM-compliant Teachers’ or Independent Study Guide. 

Rex Appeal²—the story that made headlines in the 1990s and was the subject of Todd Douglas Miller’s Emmy Award^®-winning documentary Dinosaur 13—has been updated and expanded to include BHI’s more recent adventures. It’s a perfect complement to any paleo-enthusiast’s collection.

These books underscore why Black Hills Institute has long been a keystone of the industry’s paleo market. Pete thrives on sharing his company’s innovations in field and laboratory practices, creativity in production, and theories behind mounts that combine science and design—which become centerpieces in the world’s most prestigious collections. Like other professional paleontologists at this level, this team also contributes to the science of paleontology with popular publications and peer-reviewed research. 

Based in Hill City, South Dakota—“because it’s T. rex country!” Pete says—the company has excavated, prepared, and/or mounted more than 12 Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons, scores of duckbills, a dozen Triceratops, and tens of thousands of other creatures, great and small—turtles, ammonites, fishes, saber-toothed cats, horses, mosasaurs, birds, and more. Many more. 

“In the end, paleontologists are collectors,” Pete says. “And the people we meet in Tucson are our kind of people.” 

The Black Hills Institute profile page on the Xpo Press site provides detailed information about their show locations and dates, contact information, photos, and website links.