SURAKARTA, Indonesia, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Beneath the towering skeleton of a long-necked dinosaur, Indonesian schoolchildren craned their necks, their eyes following the fossil upward as mobile phones captured the moment.

"The dinosaur fossils are truly spectacular," one visitor wowed.

The centerpiece was an adult Omeisaurus tianfuensis from southwest China's Sichuan Province. Measuring more than 20 meters long, the enormous specimen dominated the exhibition hall of the newly opened Tahir Solo Museum.

Around it, children and adults paused in amazement, many seeing a genuine dinosaur fossil at close range for the first time.

The special exhibition, which opened Saturday, marked the first time Chinese dinosaur fossils have been displayed in Indonesia -- a country where no scientifically verified dinosaur fossils have yet been found.

The absence is closely linked to the archipelago's geological past. During the Mesozoic Era, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, much of present-day Indonesia lay beneath the sea. The islands had yet to take their current form, leaving few suitable geological formations in which the remains of large land-dwelling dinosaurs could be preserved.

That history has made the arrival of the Chinese fossils particularly meaningful.

Alongside the adult Omeisaurus are a six-meter-long juvenile of the same species and a fossil of Huayangosaurus taibaii, regarded as an early ancestor of stegosaurs. All three are classified as national-level precious specimens in China.

For local visitors, the fossils offer not only a glimpse of prehistoric giants but also a window into the evolution of life and the planet itself.

"Using dinosaur fossils as a cultural symbol with global appeal, the exhibition demonstrates the shared commitment of China and Indonesia to natural heritage conservation and science education," said Luo Yingying, director of the museum.

She added that the specimens would provide valuable physical materials for Indonesian scholars studying China's Mesozoic dinosaur fossils.

The sense of discovery extends beyond the fossil hall. Life-size animatronic dinosaurs roar, nod and blink, delighting visitors and drawing a steady stream of families posing for photographs.

In another section, Indonesian students step inside a model of China's Tiangong space station and examine models of the Chang'e lunar probes, tracing a journey from the distant past to humanity's exploration of space.

"The models in the space section were all manufactured in China and transported to Indonesia," Luo said. "We localized the descriptions so that Indonesians can better understand China's scientific and technological achievements."

At the opening ceremony, Wang Siping, cultural counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, described the museum's completion as an important cultural event for Indonesia and Surakarta, saying it would further enrich the cultural life of local communities.

He also commended museum founder Tahir and his foundation for supporting the development of cultural facilities in the country.

Dato' Sri Tahir, a prominent Indonesian entrepreneur, said many of the museum's exhibits and models had come from China. The dinosaur exhibition, Indonesia's first of its kind, would give the public a rare opportunity to learn about dinosaurs and paleontology, he said.

Noting Indonesia's large ethnic Chinese community, Tahir, a prominent Chinese Indonesian community leader, voiced hope that the exhibition would help strengthen scientific and educational cooperation between the two countries.

The cooperation is expected to extend far beyond the exhibition hall.

Zeng Xiaoyun, director of the Zigong Dinosaur Museum, said the two sides plan to pursue long-term collaboration in joint scientific expeditions, fossil restoration, research sharing and dinosaur science education.

The Zigong Dinosaur Museum is a major center for paleontological research and houses the world's largest collection of Middle Jurassic dinosaur fossils. Its collection covers almost all known dinosaur groups from the Jurassic Period, dating back between 201 million and 145 million years.

The exhibition in Surakarta features 569 items, including 106 first-grade cultural relics, and will run for about 180 days. The broader cooperation program will continue through December 2026.

The exhibition also carries the imprint of Zigong's modern dinosaur industry. The Sichuan city has grown into the world's largest production hub for animatronic dinosaurs, bringing together more than 200 companies.

According to a representative of Zigong Hualong Science and Technology Co., Ltd., products made in the city are exported to more than 80 countries and regions and account for 90 percent of the overseas market.

For Zigong's dinosaurs, the journey to Surakarta has connected fossils and technology, science and imagination, as well as two countries seeking new ways to learn from the past and explore the future.