It’s been a while since we’ve visited Jurassic World on the big screen. But thankfully Netflix has given us our dino fix with 3 seasons of the animated series Camp Cretaceous. The surprisingly good show follows the adventures of a group of kids who get left behind on Isla Nublar after the events of the first Jurassic World film. The characters and stories from the show are perfectly suited for the LEGO treatment. Oddly, this is partly the case with the latest range of sets from the LEGO Jurassic World theme. Although they feature characters from the show, the actual sets have little connection to the stories featured in Camp Cretaceous. One of the most interesting sets and obviously unconnected to the show is the T. rex Dinosaur Fossil Exhibition. But does this fanciful Camp Cretaceous set deserve a play in your Jurassic World collection? Let’s take a closer look at this roarsome new set.
Product Description
Let children learn more about dinosaurs as they create their own T. rex Dinosaur Fossil Exhibition (76940). A great LEGO® Jurassic World gift toy for dinosaur-loving kids who have earned a treat, this playset features a buildable, posable T. rex skeleton model and display stand, drawing board and pointing stick, and a baby Triceratops figure.
Creative play
There are minifigures of 2 popular Jurassic World characters –Owen Grady and Darius (from Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous) – to inspire youngsters to role-play as palaeontologists and dream up their own exciting stories. Easy-to-follow, illustrated instructions are included so young LEGO fans can build independently and with confidence.
- Set Name: T. rex Dinosaur Fossil Exhibition
- Set Number: 76940
- Pieces: 198
- RRP: £79.99/$84.99/€84.99
- Measurements: 13 cm high, 29 cm long and 9 cm wide
- Minifigures: Owen Grady & Darius Bowman
- Dinosaurs: T. rex Fossil & Baby Triceratops
- Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO.com & General Retail
Despite having little to do with the Netflix show, the set is one of the most interesting of the new sets and in all honesty of all the Jurassic World sets, as it offers something unique. We’re used to being treated to various dinosaur figures, but this is the first time we’ve had a full dinosaur fossil. Before building the T. rex fossil, it’s joined by a little research trolley. This features a whiteboard detailing elements of the T. rex skull, a dinosaur tooth or claw and an egg.
The main aspect of the set is the reconstructed bones of a T. rex. This is largely brick-built but uses the same head featured on previous T. rex dinosaur figures. Obviously, print detail makes it look like the fossilized skull of the fearsome beast. One thing I really like about the build is the use of ‘off white’ elements, this gives it a more realistic look. The same can be said about the inner structure of the skeleton. It may look a little intrusive, but many reconstructed dinosaur bones are often built around a similar structure. One thing I would have added is another pair of smaller rib bones on the torso.
The whole thing sits upon a display base, which would look out of place in an old museum. Once mounted, it’s almost the same scale as the T. rex figure. This is a nice touch and also necessary due to both using the same head element. The skeleton is firmly connected to the base so can be easily removed if you so wish.
I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say that across three seasons of Netflix’s Camp Cretaceous, Owen Grady never meets or interacts with the kids from the show. But that hasn’t stopped him from appearing in this set. His Minifigure offers absolutely nothing new and in all honesty, it seems odd just to shoehorn him into the set. Anyone else could have been slipped into the set, in his place – Dr Wu, one of the Camp leaders or even just a random park worker.
At the very least Owen could have been a variant Minifigure. Thankfully the second Minifigure is a lot more exciting and is based on the main character from Camp Cretaceous. Darius is a big dinosaur fan and his prehistoric knowledge helps the campers survive their time on Isla Nublar. Darius is wearing the outfit he arrives on the island in, this is a yellow jacket and blue jeans. I like that his sentimental dinosaur tooth necklace has also been included. He does feature in another of the new sets, but this is the cheapest way to get hold of him. Both Minifigures also have alternate faces. It really wouldn’t be a Jurassic World set without an actual ‘live’ dinosaur, so the set includes a small baby Triceratops, appearing for the first time in a light blue colour.
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