UBC museum gets new giant 'sea monster' skeleton centrepiece

UBC building gets new giant 'sea monster' skeleton centrepiece (PHOTOS)

The Elasmosaurus skeleton at the UBC Earth Sciences Building. (UBC Public Affairs)

There is now a giant ‘sea monster’ suspended in the five-storey glass atrium of the Earth Sciences Building at the University of British Columbia.

The Elasmosaurus, a marine reptile, is believed to have lived in North America’s continental sea during the late Cretaceous period – about 80 million years ago, alongside dinosaurs.

A cast replica of the reptile’s skeleton was installed in the Wheaton Precious Metals Atrium last week, and it is longer than a transit bus – stretching a length of 13 metres, with more than half of the length taken up by the neck.

UBC Earth Sciences Building Elasmosaurus

The Elasmosaurus skeleton at the UBC Earth Sciences Building. (UBC Public Affairs)

This skeleton is a part of UBC’s Pacific Museum of Earth, which is also located in the building.

According to the university, only one confirmed complete Elasmosaurus skeleton has been discovered, and the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa also features a replica plesiosaur skeleton.

UBC, of course, also has a real 25-metre-long blue whale skeleton in its collection – the feature attraction of the Beaty Biodiversity Museum.

The Elasmosaurus skeleton at the UBC Earth Sciences Building. (UBC Public Affairs)

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