Why a Massive Brachiosaurus Is Coming to Grand Junction

The Museum of Western Colorado and Grand Junction Regional Airport are pitching a grand public art and education idea: a full-scale Brachiosaurus replica to greet travelers at Walker Field. The proposal, framed as the “Bringing Our Brach Home Project,” would link airport visitors to local fossil history, museums, fossil sites, and the Dinosaur Byway. Organizers say the region discovered the first Brachiosaurus 126 years ago off Highway 340 at Riggs Hill. The planned model is expected to be 45 feet tall and 75 feet long, requiring about $1 million to complete fundraising. If achieved, it would return a replica of the original Brachiosaurus altithorax to Grand Junction after its discovery was sent to Chicago’s Field Museum.