Dinosaur Week at the ICR Discovery Center


Mark your calendars for Spring Break 2026 - Dinosaur Week is making a roaring return! Enjoy a full week packed with excitement for guests of all ages, featuring full-scale fossil exhibits, a fossil petting zoo, captivating presentations from leading scientists and experts in the field and 20% off ticket prices throughout the week.

Dates: Mar 17, 2026 - Mar 21, 2026

In addition to our popular exhibits and talks, you'll find hands-on workshops, creative craft sessions, and other activities designed to engage, educate, and inspire. With so many opportunities to explore and discover, there's truly something for everyone. Best of all, all presentations and workshops are free, and no registration is required.

Dinosaur week is one of our most anticipated and well-attended events of the year, so get your tickets today and don't miss out!

*Seating is limited and will be granted on a first come, first served basis. When you arrive, walk up to the ticket counter to reserve your spot for the workshops.

Speakers

Dr. Tim Clarey

Dr. Tim Clarey
Director of Research, ICR

Dr. Brian Thomas

Dr. Brian Thomas
Research Scientist, ICR

Dr. Gabriela Haynes

Dr. Gabriela Haynes
Research Scientist, ICR

Miss Emily Steele

Miss Emily Steele
Children's Education Specialist, ICR

Rebecca Schumacher

Rebecca Schumacher
Program Facilitator, ICR

David Mikkelson

David Mikkelson
Workshop Facilitator
Everything Fossil

Location:
ICR Discovery Center
1830 Royal Lane
Dallas, TX 75229

 

Schedule:

Tuesday, March 17
Time Activity Location Description
10:00 a.m. Discovery Center Opens
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fossil Petting Zoo & Crafts Atrium & Exhibit Hall Explore a hands-on fossil petting zoo and unleash your creativity with engaging crafts!
10:30 a.m. Fossils: Evolution or Flood? | Dr. Brian Thomas Founder's Hall In this interactive presentation, Dr. Thomas shows real fossils. He points to features that refute fossilization over eons and that fit the rapid burial expected from Noah's Flood.
11:30 a.m. Workshop: Dinosaur Fossil Prep Lab | Tommy Lohman Building B Classroom Have you ever wondered how paleontologists prepare dinosaur fossils for display in museums? Are you fascinated by these fossils and the insights they offer? Join Field Paleontologist Tommy Lohman on a unique journey to learn about the details of fossil preparation in this lab session. You will have the opportunity to work with a real fossil and start the preparation process during lab time. Please note that all fossils will remain property of the museum. Don't miss out on this rare chance to gain hands-on experience! Audience level: ages 10 and up.
1:00 p.m. Workshop: Finding Fossils 101: A Beginner's Guide for What to Look For and Where to Look | Emily Steele Building B Classroom Are you an aspiring paleontologist but just don't know where to begin? Join Miss Emmy to learn the basics of the types of fossils, an intro to megasequences and understanding sedimentation, and three tips to finding more fossils. You can even earn your very own marine fossil to add to your collection!
2:30 p.m. Breakout session: Tyrannosaurus rex: A Marvel of God's Creative Genius | Tommy Lohman Building A Classroom Few dinosaurs are as well-known as the Tyrannosaurus rex. Measuring over forty feet in length and weighing more than five tons, the T. rex was a remarkable example of God's creativity. It had a large, thick skull, immense biting force, a heavy tail, and incredible mobility. Join us to hear Field Paleontologist Tommy Lohman discuss this fascinating creature, which beautifully showcases the majesty of God's creative genius.
Wednesday, March 18
Time Activity Location Description
10:00 a.m. Discovery Center opens
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fossil Petting Zoo & Crafts Atrium & Exhibit Hall Explore a hands-on fossil petting zoo and unleash your creativity with engaging crafts!
10:30 a.m. Fresh Fossils from Four Continents | Dr. Brian Thomas Founder's Hall Have you heard about the blood vessels from dinosaur bones? It turns out that's just the beginning of fresh features from all kind of fossils. In this presentation, Dr. Thomas explains how we can know that these proteins are relatively young and how these exciting new finds fit with the Bible's history of the world. Audience level: sixth grade and up.
11:30 a.m. Workshop: Building Behemoth: The Biomechanics of Dinosaur Movement | Tommy Lohman Building B Classroom Sauropod dinosaurs were the largest land animals to have ever roamed the Earth. They displayed a unique pattern of movement in their hips and tails. In Job 40, Behemoth is described as an animal with strong muscles, sturdy bones, and a swaying tail. This description suggests that Behemoth was the biggest of all dinosaurs, a sauropod. You can join Field Paleontologist Tommy Lohman in building a biomechanical model of the hip section of a sauropod dinosaur to take home. Please note that the models remain property of the museum. Audience level: ages 12 and up.
1:00 p.m. Workshop: Finding Fossils - A Deeper Look | Emily Steele Building B Classroom Many people dream of finding the fossil of their dreams - discovering a new dinosaur species, a full animal specimen, or even a T. rex tooth! But sometimes the fossil hunt can feel overwhelming and confusing. How do you tell a fossil from the matrix around it or from a cool rock? Where should you look for certain types of fossils? Join us to learn a few basics to help hone your fossil hunting skills.
2:30 p.m. Breakout session: Tyrannosaurus rex: A Marvel of God's Creative Genius | Tommy Lohman Building A Classroom Few dinosaurs are as well-known as the Tyrannosaurus rex. Measuring over forty feet in length and weighing more than five tons, the T. rex was a remarkable example of God's creativity. It had a large, thick skull, immense biting force, a heavy tail, and incredible mobility. Join us to hear Field Paleontologist Tommy Lohman discuss this fascinating creature, which beautifully showcases the majesty of God's creative genius.
Thursday, March 19
Time Activity Location Description
10:00 a.m. Discovery Center opens
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fossil Petting Zoo & Crafts Atrium & Exhibit Hall Explore a hands-on fossil petting zoo and unleash your creativity with engaging crafts!
10:30 a.m. Myths of Feathered Dinosaurs and Asteroids | Dr. Tim Clarey Founder's Hall This talk emphasizes the anatomical differences between dinosaurs and birds, concluding that feathered dinosaurs are a myth. The talk also explains that an asteroid is unlikely the cause of dinosaur extinction and finishes by offering better reasons for their disappearance.
11:30 a.m. Workshop: Dinosaur Fossil Prep Lab | Tommy Lohman Building B Classroom Have you ever wondered how paleontologists prepare dinosaur fossils for display in museums? Are you fascinated by these fossils and the insights they offer? Join Field Paleontologist Tommy Lohman on a unique journey to learn about the details of fossil preparation in this lab session. You will have the opportunity to work with a real fossil and start the preparation process during lab time. Please note that all fossils will remain property of the museum. Don't miss out on this rare chance to gain hands-on experience! Audience level: ages 10 and up.
1:00 p.m. Workshop: Fossil Fun | Rebecca Schumacher Building B Classroom Discover how fossils formed rapidly following Noah's Flood in this engaging, hands-on session designed for young learners and families. Participants will explore real fossil specimens and learn how to identify and sort them by type while gaining insight into the fossilization process. Audience level: ages 6 and up.
2:30 p.m. Dinosaur Storytime Founder's Hall Gather around for a fun and engaging dinosaur storytime featuring exciting dinosaur tales. This interactive session is perfect for young children.
Friday, March 20
Time Activity Location Description
10:00 a.m. Discovery Center opens
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fossil Petting Zoo & Crafts Atrium & Exhibit Hall Explore a hands-on fossil petting zoo and unleash your creativity with engaging crafts!
10:30 a.m. Dinosaurs and the Flood: A Journey Through Time | Dr. Gabriela Haynes Founder's Hall Let's dive into the fascinating world of dinosaurs and discover how their existence connects to the historical event of the Flood. Join us to understand how dinosaurs fossils confirm the biblical account!
11:30 a.m. Workshop: Paleo Art: Where Science and Art Meet | David Mikkelson Building B Classroom Many museums use replicas of fossils and dinosaur bones for their displays. In this class, we will dive into the process of making a replica dinosaur bone - from molding to casting to painting it to look exactly like the original fossil. Theory with examples will be covered in the process of making the mold and cast - followed by a hands-on time of painting your very own replica of a dinosaur bone. If you have a fossil you would like to make a replica of, bring it to the class and we can talk over the best procedure of doing so at home. Audience level: ages 12 and up.
1:00 p.m. Workshop: Pictographs | Rebecca Schumacher Building B Classroom Create your own cave-style artwork while learning how ancient pictographs reflect firsthand accounts of dinosaur encounters. This hands-on session explores early human art as eyewitness depictions of known species.
2:30 p.m. Workshop: Amazing Trilobites | David Mikkelson Building B Classroom Discover the amazing Trilobite! In this class, we dive into this unique creature and what makes it so special. Along the way, each participant will get to handle real fossils and make their very own replica of a Trilobite. To make the replica, students will mix the casting material (plaster), pour it into the mold, and paint the hardened cast. Parents, prepare accordingly - dress for a mess. Younger participants may require your help. Audience level: ages 5 and up.
Saturday, March 21
Time Activity Location Description
10:00 a.m. Discovery Center opens
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fossil Petting Zoo & Crafts Atrium & Exhibit Hall Explore a hands-on fossil petting zoo and unleash your creativity with engaging crafts!
10:30 a.m. Fluffy Dinosaurs?! | Dr. Gabriela Haynes Founder's Hall Feathers on dinosaurs - real or just movie magic? In this exciting talk, kids will learn the difference between birds and dinosaurs and learn where the idea of feathered dinosaurs came from.
11:30 a.m. Workshop: Paleo Art: Where Science and Art Meet | David Mikkelson Building B Classroom Many museums use replicas of fossils and dinosaur bones for their displays. In this class, we will dive into the process of making a replica dinosaur bone - from molding to casting to painting it to look exactly like the original fossil. Theory with examples will be covered in the process of making the mold and cast - followed by a hands-on time of painting your very own replica of a dinosaur bone. If you have a fossil you would like to make a replica of, bring it to the class and we can talk over the best procedure for doing so at home. Audience level: ages 12 and up.
1:00 p.m. Workshop: Fossil Fun | Rebecca Schumacher Building B Classroom Discover how fossils formed rapidly following Noah's Flood in this engaging, hands-on session designed for young learners and families. Participants will explore real fossil specimens and learn how to identify and sort them by type while gaining insight into the fossilization process. Audience level: ages 6 and up.
2:30 p.m. Workshop: Amazing Trilobites | David Mikkelson Building B Classroom Discover the amazing Trilobite! In this class, we dive into this unique creature and what makes it so special. Along the way, each participant will get to handle real fossils and make their very own replica of a Trilobite. To make the replica, students will mix the casting material (plaster), pour it into the mold, and paint the hardened cast. Parents, prepare accordingly - dress for a mess. Younger participants may require your help. Audience level: ages 5 and up.

For more information, please email discover@icr.org or call 800.743.6374.

Map and Directions