A T-rexcellent idea: Jurassic Alcove set to open in South Park
Courtesy of Dominic Bianco
His favorite dino movie is a tie between the first “Jurassic Park” and “The Land Before Time,” but that doesn’t mean Dominic Bianco wasn’t beyond thrilled to add this replica of Blue, the female velociraptor from Jurassic World, to his dinosaur collection. The life-size bust was handmade by a Pittsburgh-area artist.
Courtesy of Dominic Bianco
Dominic Bianco poses with a life-size triceratops – which lived during the Cretaceous period, his favorite prehistoric time period – at Jurassic Quest in 2020.
It all started with a Christmas gift.
One year, Dominic Bianco, who relished family trips to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, where larger-than-life dinosaurs captured his young imagination, unwrapped a collection of the museum’s dino figurines, a gift from his grandmother.
The following year, “Jurassic Park” debuted on the big screen, solidifying Bianco’s passion for fantastic beasts.
Now, the dinosaur-obsessed kid turned dinosaur-loving adult is bringing a unique experience to his metaphorical backyard.
Jurassic Alcove, a space where dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages can ogle the majesty of ancient animals, learn about the creatures and the times in which they lived, and enjoy lectures from leaders in the dinosaur community, will open in South Park next spring.
“When I was a kid, my mom and dad would always take me and my sisters to different local spots in Pittsburgh, then we would venture out to Ohio and Sea World and be fascinated by the animals. My goal is to make a little mark like that in Pittsburgh, where anyone can come and see these full-size replica dinosaurs,” said Bianco, a Bethel Park High School graduate and resident. “To explore the science and education behind dinosaurs, what the world looked like at the time the dinosaurs were living, the facts about their fossils.”
Jurassic Alcove is located in South Park, thanks to the generosity of the Allegheny Parks Foundation. When it opens next year, Jurassic Alcove will offer visitors an inimitable learning experience that includes eye-catching learning materials, fossil displays and spectacular, life-size dinosaur replicas.
Bianco also aims to host monthly lectures by both some of the biggest and brightest names in paleontology and local animal experts.
It sounds ambitious, but Jurassic Alcove is an undertaking decades in the making.
Bianco grew up watching dinosaur movies (who remembers Little Foot and friends, from “The Land Before Time?”) and learning all he could about the animals. In 2018, while working for a local magazine, he was inspired to launch his glossy passion project Jurassic Mag, a digital publication with an Instagram following of more than 29,000.
“I’ve always loved literary arts,” Bianco said. “I put my all into it and started seeking out these individuals in the dinosaur community – paleontologists, entertainers – to really make it as complete a magazine as possible, and project as possible. It’s been my mission to include all pieces of dinosaur media, whether that be paleontological facts or entertainment or toys.”
Bianco has interviewed some dinosaur superstars, including world-renowned paleontologist Jack Horner, who served as a consultant for five “Jurassic Park” films, and author Max Hawthorne, who together with paleontologists Dr. Mark McMenamin and Paul de la Salle wrote a formal paper on how plesiosaurs swim. Bianco has also made connections with Mattel, Reebok and other companies that manufacture dinosaur and “Jurassic Park” franchise toys and merch.
While that feeds Bianco’s inner nerd, the best part about Jurassic Mag is connecting with other enthusiasts.
Once, Bianco was able, through his magazine connections, to assist a young girl who loves all things paleontology.
“They had a terrible fire. The little girl … she lost all her fossils and all her toys. I reached out to Mattel, we sent her toys to replace some of the things she lost,” he said.
Another time, Jurassic Mag brought joy to the family of a young dinosaur fan battling cancer.
“His mom reached out. We featured him in the magazine, we featured him on social media. She was very, very appreciative,” Bianco said, adding he was saddened when the boy passed away. “That made it all worth it to me, to be able to see something I love, to see that it actually influences people and makes them happy and brings them joy, that means the most.
“Being able to have a direct effect on somebody’s life, and it’s about dinosaurs…” is what keeps him going, Bianco said.
He’s looking forward to expanding that impact into the material world, with a brick-and-mortar location in the Pittsburgh suburbs. For years, Bianco jotted down ideas and daydreams that looked like the beginnings of Jurassic Alcove.
“I had this idea years ago for it to be a resource center. I thought it would be so neat to have a spot, it’s not just for families, it’s for anybody, a spot in a suburb where people come and see recreations of dinosaurs. Life happened; I never really followed through,” Bianco said. “I was influenced by my family, who always encourages me. I started looking into how it could actually work, how I could bring dinosaurs into Pittsburgh. I needed a spot, I reached out to Allegheny Parks, they have exhibit buildings. It came together perfectly.”
Through his work on Jurassic Mag, Bianco networked with Design Toscana, who is supplying Jurassic Alcove’s impressive dinosaur replicas; other magazine connections have helped the project come together in a short amount of time.
“The people in that community are really nice and really great and support other dinosaur influencers,” he said, noting Universal Pictures has been gracious to Bianco and others in the dino world. “It’s a really neat, nurturing community to be a part of.”
Bianco is looking forward to sharing his passion for and knowledge of dinosaurs with the community, and cannot wait to welcome people into Jurassic Alcove come spring.
“You don’t have to look very far to find somebody who loves dinosaurs. Pittsburgh is known for dinosaurs,” Bianco said. “I was a child in the ’90s, before technology and cellphones. I want to, in my own little way, try to get back to actually going out and experiencing (things). I want people to see the wonder of a dinosaur and the majesty of a dinosaur right in front of them. It’s just about building memories.”
For the latest on Jurassic Mag and Jurassic Alcove, visit https://jurassicmag.wordpress.com/ or follow the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thejurassicmag/.