Skip to main content

Dinosaurs come to life at Bethlehem exhibit

Bethlehem is now home to an exhibit of animatronic dinosaurs, which is proving popular with Palestinian schoolchildren.

Palestinian children look at models of dinosaurs, which were donated by Henry Lowe to Bethlehem-Bath Links, during the opening of a dinosaur exhibition arranged by a Bath charity in the West Bank city of Bethlehem March 14, 2017. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma - RTX3107J
Palestinian children look at models of dinosaurs, which were donated by Henry Lowe to Bethlehem-Bath Links, during the opening of a dinosaur exhibition arranged by a Bath charity in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, March 14, 2017. — REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma

BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Jana al-Khatib, 11, went on an unforgettable trip with her mother from the town of Abu Dis in Jerusalem to nearby Bethlehem, to closely watch and listen to dinosaurs and giant predatory insects.

Extinct animals have returned to the land where they lived for millions of years, all thanks to a new permanent exhibit located at Solomon's Pools and the Convention Palace of Bethlehem in Wadi Artas in southern Bethlehem. Launched March 14, the dinosaur and giant insect exhibit, featuring animatronic models, is sponsored by the Solomon Pools Company, the Convention Palace of Bethlehem and the Bethlehem-Bath Links charity. 

The exhibit will permanently be housed at Solomon's Pools to serve as a historic landmark and an educational edifice for Palestinians of all ages.

When he reached retirement age, exhibit designer Henry Lowe, from Bath, England, donated his animatronic models of dinosaurs and giant insects to the children of Palestine. The exhibit reflects many years of exploration of the countries where these extinct animals lived. Lowe is the director of the Bath-based Tourwest exhibition company.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

Continue reading this exclusive analysis

Original reporting and analysis unavailable elsewhere. Subscribe to AL-MONITOR to read this story and access everything we publish