Summers at Dinosaur Journey are always busy, but get ready, because this summer we are dialing up the impact. Summer 2016 kicks off with our special summer exhibit: Tyrannosaurus rex and the End of the “Age of Dinosaurs.” This exhibit will feature a life-size animatronic T. rex and explore the end of the Tyrant Lizard King’s reign on Earth. As T. rex roars above you in the exhibit hall, discover the apocalyptic end of the “Age of Dinosaurs.” Discover what life died and what life survived as you investigate the crisis in the oceans, stand underneath the asteroid, and learn about immense volcanic eruptions – all of which contributed to the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period. Dinosaur Journey will also host a special guest speaker for the opening of the exhibit, Dr. Christopher Brochu from The University of Iowa will speak on the science of unearthing the secrets of Tyrannosaurus rex. Dr. Brochu will reveal what he learned from working on the Tyrannosaurus “Sue” at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, IL in his FREE public lecture (The Dead Speak: Lessons from a Tyrannosaur) on Friday, May 20th at 6:30PM in the Dinosaur Journey Auditorium. The exhibit opens to the public on Friday, May 20th and runs until September 18th.
In late May, our summer dig season begins. We will start off the 2016 field season with excavations at Callison Quarry in the Fruita Paleontological Area before heading over to Rabbit Valley to continue work at the Mygatt-Moore Quarry, through our ongoing partnership with the Bureau of Land Management. We are hoping to remove several large blocks from the Mygatt-Moore Quarry this year, as well as exploring further for new material in the quarry. We will also be leading fossil prospecting hikes, lab days for our expeditioners, and raft trips. To find out more, you can view our expedition program here.
Dinosaur Day happens a little earlier this year, on June 11th. Come by for a full day of prehistoric fun at Dinosaur Journey! From demonstrations on how to repair fossil bone with the folks from PaleoBond, to painting casts, fossil Q/A with the paleo crew, dinosaur origami, bump and jumps, and our ever popular T. rex Styling Salon. The fun runs from 9 am-5 pm with special event pricing. For more details go here.
In July, Dinosaur Journey will be participating in the third annual Fruita Family Fun Fair on July 3rd from 5 am–9 pm at the Southside Marketplace in Fruita. This is a FREE event that is open to the public with old fashioned games, face painting, prizes, music, and entertainment prior to the annual fireworks show in Fruita that evening at 9 pm.
Still wanting more dinos? Don’t miss our annual gala event at Dinosaur Journey, the Feast of Skulls on August 27th. Rock out under the stars with the dinosaurs while supporting the Museums of Western Colorado. The event will feature dinner by Flavors Grille/Family Health West, silent and live auctions, music and dancing, as well as exhibit performance by Adagio Academy. Tickets are on sale online here or you can get yours by calling Carla at 970.242.0971, ext. 212.
It’s shaping up to be a wonderful and hectic summer, but what a summer! We can’t wait to share all of these events and experiences with you. We hope you will visit Dinosaur Journey and see what an impact we can make on you.