We’re thrilled to bring you special programming in conjunction with our latest special exhibit, Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family!
Programs
VISITOR ENGAGEMENTS
Thursdays and Fridays, 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Additional programming opening weekend, February 18-20
- Educator Carts: Learn more about the family! Have you ever wondered what dinosaur families were like? Explore how paleontologists have tried to piece together the behavior and lives of dinosaurs.
- Volunteer Crafts: Join MPM volunteers to decorate your own dino crown to wear and take home with you! Days and times vary with volunteer schedules.
EXHIBIT RESOURCE
Dino Discovery Hunt
Can you find all of the dinos in the Third Planet exhibit? Bring this Discovery Hunt to MPM to help you find the dinos and learn about what they ate!
EXIT ACTIVITY
Family Tree
After you’ve met the family, it’s your turn to name and create a new tyrannosaur right in the exhibit. When you’re done, you’ll add it to our family tree so that all can fear (and enjoy)!
Events
SCIENCE ON TAP
"The Evolution of Dinosaurian Flight" with Dr. Jingmai O'Connor
Thursday, February 24, 7:00 p.m.
The idea that birds are living dinosaurs dates back to the mid-late 19th century, yet was not widely accepted until the discovery of feathered dinosaurs in China in the late 1990s. Attempts to understand which group of dinosaurs is most-closely related to birds is hindered by the distribution of bird-like features in dinosaur clades. New evidence suggests that many of these avian features are better considered aerodynamic features, and the difficulty in understanding which group of dinosaur birds evolved from is due to the fact that multiple groups of dinosaurs – not just birds – evolved flight.
This event has ended, please stay tuned for future Science on Tap events!
MYSTERY AT MPM
Explore the mysterious side of the Museum as you put your sleuthing skills to the test. Grab your magnifying glass and detective hat to follow a series of clues that lead you through the twisting corridors and shadowy corners of the Museum’s exhibit halls for an extraordinary opportunity to get up-close and personal with one of our rarely seen objects!
Adult Event: March 18, 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Family Edition: April 23, 6:00-9:00 p.m. (includes admission to Tyrannosaurs)
These events have sold out.
DINO DAYS
Monday-Friday, March 21-April 1, and Saturday, March 26
10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Visit during Spring Break for fun, drop-in programming, including a dino-themed Saturday! Activities include:
- Meet the Family: Have you ever wondered what dinosaur families were like? Explore how paleontologists have tried to piece together the behavior and lives of dinosaurs.
- Paleontologist Toolkit: Unearthing fossils is no easy task, so paleontologists need a variety of tools to get the job done. Some of these you might expect… and some you might not!
- Dino Crowns: Decorate your own dino crown to wear and take home with you!
PLANETARIUM
DINO SOARS! - Planetarium Program
Perhaps the most astounding discovery about dinosaurs is that they are still around today - and not just in the movies. Birds are living dinosaurs! Follow the story of Malkia, a museum paleontologist, as she explores fascinating connections between birds and dinosaurs.
February 18, 2022 - June 2, 2022
Showtimes at 10:15 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Made possible by:
Alvin & Marion Birnschein Foundation
Schoenleber Foundation, Inc.
Elizabeth Elser Doolittle Charitable Trusts