The Big One -- Thomas the T. Rex -- Hits Los Angeles

He has arrived.

Direct from southwestern Montana, meet Thomas the T-rex.

Excavated between 2003-2005 by Dr. Luis Chiappe and his Dinosaur Institute team from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the 30-foot Thomas -- as well as a 20-foot juvenile T-rex and a 10-foot baby T-rex -- were the first dinosaurs to be revealed this week at the much-anticipated new Dinosaur Hall in L.A. that opens this summer.

Phil Fraley, whose New Jersey-based company Phil Fraley Productions, Inc. was responsible for mounting the T-Rex series, told AOL News it's no mystery why so many are fascinated by T-rex.

"Just look at the business end of that animal," he said. "The head size alone is extremely intriguing."

"In terms of dinosaurs we have worked on, these are some of the best in terms of quality of fossil. They're outstanding."

For the men and women who brought these dinosaur skeletons from the ground in Montana to the museum in Los Angeles, it's hard not to feel proud.

"It's rewarding to see them staring down at you -- especially Thomas," said Doug Goodreau, a Dinosaur Institute lab supervisor who watched as photographers snapped away at the three skeletons at a press preview on Jan. 19. "It's impressive and an exciting step in this whole process. You work on these bones for so long and to finally be able to share them with the public is a good feeling. As for Thomas, I've never seen anything so impressive -- a meat eater of that size -- he's incredible."

Bringing Thomas to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has been a long and rewarding project for museum president and director Jane Pisano.

"I'm just so excited to share this work in process," Pisano told AOL News. "I've been to the site where Thomas was excavated, seen him one tooth at a time emerge from the rock -- and to show people today how people will experience Thomas is very exciting.

"People think of natural history museums as places to see dinosaurs and we have lots in store for the public," she added. "Our hall will feature everything in the process of scientific discovery -- how they walked, what they sounded like, how they became extinct -- everything. I hope people will be filled with wonder and awe when they see our exhibits, and will leave here more informed and more passionate about science once they know what we know."

Luis Chiappe, curator of the museum's Department of Vertebrate Paleontology, seemed especially proud.

The famed dinosaur hunter has seen many dinosaur exhibits around the world, and he feels that what they're creating in Los Angeles will rival the best of them.

"This city has never experienced a dinosaur exhibit like this -- completely state of the art. I think it will be incredibly popular," he told AOL News. "This will be a destination for people from all around the world -- but especially for people here in L.A., it will be something truly special. For me, it's immensely rewarding to see the dinosaurs here today, knowing all the hard work that's behind it. They are stunning. Although this is just a first glimpse, by July it's going to really be something."

Gazing out at Thomas and the other two dinosaur skeletons, Chiappe seemed pleased with the configuration.

"I think they have an ancient drama to them -- you can imagine these animals approaching each other, signaling, having a dialogue. Not the typical 'dinosaurs killing each other' pose."

As for Thomas, Chiappe can't wait for the public to stand in his shadow when the entire hall opens to the public on July 11.

"People will love Thomas," he said. "The T-rex has become like a superstar, an American icon because, after all, he only existed in what is now western North America. Sure, the T-rex has been disseminated worldwide, but he is particularly famous here in America. This is where he comes from."

Pausing in the quiet hall, Chiappe said softly, as if to himself, "It's hard to imagine that these magnificent animals were once alive -- but they were."