As “Summer of the dinosaur” nears extinction, the inaugural Dino Fest will feature fossil digs, live music and a beer garden, T. Rex sports challenges, Paleo demos, live birds and more, plus Paleo Lab gives guests a chance to witness Museum paleontologists processing and preparing fossils fresh from the field
WHAT:
Marking the culmination of the Perot Museum’s “summer of the dinosaur,” the inaugural Dino Fest will get underway Sept. 1-2 with a “Back to the Jurassic” augmented reality experience, hands-on fossil digs, live music and a beer garden on the plaza, T. Rex sports challenges, trivia games, live bird (aka modern-day dinosaur) interactions, Paleo demos and lectures, art activities, face painting and more. Young guests can become junior paleontologists as they learn all about Arctic dinosaurs, while all ages can engage with paleontologists Dr. Fiorillo and Dr. Tykoski.
The new Paleo Lab makes its public debut this weekend. The new glass-encased permanent exhibit will give guests real-time views of the dynamic dinosaur research of Museum paleontologists as they process and prepare fossils fresh from the field. Cameras in the lab will project close-up views of live fossil preparation while Museum Brainiacs explain and demonstrate the tools and techniques, and how this work connects to the specimens displayed throughout the exhibit hall. Guests just might witness the unearthing of a new prehistoric species.
The Museum’s Paleo research team has already made several big discoveries, includingNanuqsaurus Hoglundi, the polar tyrannosaur that will greet guests from atop the new Paleo Lab. A pint-sized cousin of the T. Rex, Nanuqsauruswas discovered and named by Perot Museum’s renowned paleontologists, Dr. Tony Fiorillo and Dr. Ron Tykoski, in 2014. The new skeletal reconstruction of Nanuqsaurus for the Paleo Lab is the first ever on display.
Dino Fest takes place from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 1 and from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 2. The beer garden on the Plaza will stay open from 3-7 p.m. Saturday and from noon-4 p.m. Sunday.
WHERE: Perot Museum of Nature and Science, 2201 N. Field St., Dallas, TX 75201.
About the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The top cultural attraction in Dallas/Fort Worth and a Michelin Green Guide three-star destination, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a nonprofit educational organization located in Victory Park in the heart of Dallas, Texas.
With a mission to inspire minds through nature and science, the Perot Museum delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor and outreach experiences through its education, exhibition, and research and collections programming for children, students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The 180,000-square-foot facility opened in December 2012 and is now recognized as the symbolic gateway to the Dallas Arts District.
Future scientists, mathematicians and engineers will find inspiration and enlightenment through 11 permanent exhibit halls on five floors of public space; a children’s museum; a state-of-the art traveling exhibition hall; and The Hoglund Foundation Theater, a National Geographic Experience. Designed by 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm Morphosis Architects, the Museum has been lauded for its artistry and sustainability. To learn more, please visit
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
