Galeamopus Skeletal Study

Galeamopus Sculpture Skeletal Study is one of four similar sculptures created as part of a commission for the Cincinnati Museum Center’s dinosaur exhibit that opened in 2018. The cast bronze sculptures offer museum visitors an opportunity to touch replicas of skeletons on exhibit while still being sturdy enough to enjoy the attention of numerous school groups without damage. The creation of these touchable sculptures was deemed especially important for visually impaired museum visitors.  

Each of these four sculptures went through the same developmental process. I was given access to skeletal material and supplied with other reference materials from the museum center’s vertebrate paleontologist. I developed an initial sculpture that was then critiqued and altered several times for anatomical accuracy. Upon final approval each sculpture was taken to the foundry for molding and bronze casting.  

Galeamopus is a diplodocid type dinosaur that lived in North America during the Jurassic time period. During the sculpting of this piece I had access to the Cincinnati Museum Center’s more than 50 feet long skeleton of this amazing animal. It was amazing to walk under this skeleton and see details of this dinosaur up close.