Grand Prairie, Texas - Chromosaurs

Zina reported the sculptures were sold to Ripley and that "John" may have loaned them to the Dallas Musuem of History for free...

The owner of the Chromosaurs, Dale Fortner, loaned the Sculptures to the museum free from 1998 to 2006, until he sold them to Ripley. The amount may have exceeded $200,000 for each sculpture.

The sculptures were loaned free of charge to the Motor Sports Hall of Fame Museum in Talladega, Alabama from 1995-1998 by Dale Fortner as a gift to former President of Talladega SuperSpeedway, Don Naman. [Dale Fortner, 01/17/2007]

The three Chromosaurs made by John (Jack) Kearney that were in front of the Dallas Museum of Natural History have been sold. Apparently John loaned them at no charge for several years, but the museum couldn't come up with $200,000 to purchase them. So, they have been bought by the Ripley's Believe It Or Not/Tussaud's Palace of Wax Museum in Grand Prairie.

I received this information from a woman at the museum, and sure enough, they are out front of Tussaud's. They are not visible from the interstate due to the embankment. You have to go up the lane and to the front entrance side of Tussaud's before you'll see them. In addition to the three dinosaurs made from chrome bumpers, there is a smaller horse made from them that is around to the side of the building. You can see the chrome sculptures without having to pay admission or for parking.

If you like his art, John Kearney has also created sculptures of the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow that are located in Oz Park in the Lincoln Park suburb of Chicago. [Zina Bartle, 03/12/2006]