For Immediate Release

Contact:

Sophie Nassif Ketchum 412.456.3472

Craig J. Kwiecinski Office of the Mayor 412.255.2484

DinoMite Days^SM Opens in Pittsburgh, Mayor Murphy Unveils Dinosaurs
100 Decorated Dinosaurs Will Adorn City Streets and Plazas Starting May 29 in the World's Most Colorful Outdoor Display of Dinosaur Art

PITTSBURGH, May 28, 2003 - Watch out! One hundred dinosaurs with distinct artistic personalities are being turned loose in Pittsburgh, starting tomorrow. Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy today proclaimed the start of DinoMite Days, a once-in-a-lifetime event that will transform the city into the world's largest Jurassic art park this summer.

DinoMite Days brings the wonders of dinosaurs, art and science to life in ways never seen before. The free outdoor event features 200 to 500-pound fiberglass dinosaurs that have been meticulously decorated by artists and students. Visitors to Pittsburgh will encounter DinoMite Days dinosaurs in public plazas, on the streets and in front of buildings. The viewing locations will be listed on the DinoMite Days Web site, www.dinomitedays.org.

"I'm proud to announce that DinoMite Days will transform Pittsburgh into 'DinoBurgh' this summer. DinoMite Days will showcase Pittsburgh's vitality in art and science and the important mission of Carnegie Museum of Natural History, a world leader in collecting and preserving dinosaur fossils," Mayor Murphy said today in a ceremony at the City-County Building.

Installation of the first 50 dinosaurs begins Thursday, May 29 and will be completed by Sunday, June 1, when special activities along Grant Street in Downtown Pittsburgh will celebrate the official start of DinoMite Days. The remaining 50 dinosaurs will be installed by July 1.

At today's ceremony, Bill DeWalt, director of Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Tinsy Lipchak, executive director of cultural tourism for the Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitor's Bureau, joined Mayor Murphy for the unveiling of two Pittsburgh-themed dinosaurs:

• "Troyus Hillosaurus" - This Stegosaurus, more than 9 feet long and almost 6 feet high, features a view of Pittsburgh's cityscape, as seen from the Troy Hill neighborhood. Artist Cynthia Cooley of Fox Chapel painted this visually stunning dinosaur, which will reside at Mellon Plaza, thanks to the generosity of its "sponsaur," Reed Smith LLP.
• "Historapod" - This Stegosaurus, created by Chris Smith of Bloomfield, features portraits of Pittsburgh icons such as Andrew Carnegie, James Laughlin and Andrew Mellon along with old newspapers and posters applied in an abstract format with wheat paste. "Historapod" will reside at PPG Plaza.

DinoMite Days Expected to Enthrall Visitors and Tourists
The Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitor's Bureau is promoting DinoMite Days as a unique attraction that will enthrall visitors and tourists.

"DinoMite Days is a creative event that makes Pittsburgh a must-see travel destination this summer for anyone who enjoys dinosaurs or art," Lipchak said. "We expect DinoMite Days to enhance Pittsburgh's appeal to visitors."

Starting tomorrow, 40 dinosaurs will be herded from a warehouse in Monroeville and 11 dinosaurs will be moved from their temporary location at PPG Plaza to their summer habitats. DinoMite Days features three types of dinosaurs: Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus and Torosaurus.

The opening DinoMite Days Celebration will take place Saturday, May 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. along Grant Street where nine of the dinosaurs will reside. Families can enjoy prehistoric kid-friendly activities and visit the dinosaurs by walking from USX Tower to Oxford Centre, Mellon Plaza and Liberty Center. Other dinosaurs will be installed throughout the downtown area including Gateway Center, Fifth Avenue Place, FreeMarkets Center and PPG Place.

"We expect people of all ages to welcome the DinoMite Days dinosaurs to Pittsburgh," DeWalt said. "This unique event is a free, fun and enlightening cultural activity that complements our ongoing efforts to expand the museum's Dinosaur Hall."

DinoMite Days is sponsored by Carnegie Museum of Natural History, which houses the world's third-largest collection of dinosaur fossils. The event is being supported by major funding from the Laurel Foundation and corporate sponsorships of the dinosaurs.

Approximately 20 dinosaurs are still available for "sponsaurship." Sponsors select a design, decide where the work of art will be displayed throughout the summer and choose a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to receive half of the proceeds once the dinosaur is auctioned on October 18, 2003, at a black-tie gala event at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The remaining proceeds will be used for renovation and expansion of Carnegie Museum of Natural History's Dinosaur Hall.

To become a DinoMite Days "sponsaur," contact Kathleen Bodenlos, director of marketing for Carnegie Museum of Natural History, at 412-622-3361 or via e-mail at bodenlosk@carnegiemnh.org.

Made of fiberglass produced by PPG Industries Inc., the approximately 200-pound dinosaurs were designed and manufactured by Research Casting International of Beamsville, Ontario, Canada. The topcoat was donated by PPG.

Throughout the summer, the DinoMite Days Web site (www.dinomitedays.org) will provide information about the artists, photographs of the dinosaurs, educational information about the history of dinosaurs, and activities for children, as well as the DinoMap of viewing locations.

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