AB-2025-04500 - Royal Tyrrell Museum Burgess Shale RFP

Create and install two new models in the Royal Tyrell Museum’s Burgess Shale exhibit to match the existing style, colours, sizes and original positions. Evaluate the other exhibit components and complete any necessary repairs to ensure exhibit longevity.

In 1998 the Museum saw the completion of the Burgess shale exhibit which included a diorama depicting Burgess shale creatures at approximately 12x their size. Over the course of its life, it has seen a couple of refurbishments, and the glass floor replaced a number of times. This past spring the diorama unfortunately had one of its main specimens (Anomalocaris) fall creating major damage to itself as well as some surrounding pieces.

The Anomalocaris and other damaged creatures were created from a mix of different mediums, including fiberglass, acrylic, foam, etc. The pieces that fell were suspended using 1/8” steel cable to various attachment points on the specimens, which over time, failed, causing them to fall into the exhibit. The Anomalocaris, being the largest creature in the display is approximately 10’ long including its appendages and 4 – 5’ in width. The Canadaspis model is approximately 32” long by 12” wide.

All the damaged pieces or creatures are currently available for viewing at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. OBJECTIVES:
• Create a new Anomalocaris and Canadaspis that were damaged in the fall. The new Anomalocaris will need to be created in pieces instead of one large piece due to the entrance to the diorama being too small to accommodate a single large unit or specimen. This means creating removable appendages and possibly the specimen coming together using strategically placed hardware and placement of seams.
• Evaluate the other specimens (mostly hanging) still left in the diorama to gauge their condition and make recommendations if repairs are needed.