Last Sunday, I traveled over to Thermopolis for the day and decided to visit the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. Ever since I was a kid, I have always been interested in dinosaurs.
The Wyoming Dinosaur Center was founded in 1995 and is home to nearly 20,000 bone specimens, thousands of fossils from the area, the state and around the world and over 130 dig sites. Most of the dig sites are within a short 10-15 minute drive from the museum on the Warm Springs Ranch.
The Programs
The museum itself is awe-inspiring. The most unique thing WDC has to offer, are the educational programs. One can not only visit the museum but may also participate in an active dig. Laying eyes and hands on 150 million year old bones and fossils. This is called the “Dig for a Day” program. Scientist show you how to use the tools and and answer all of your questions. Whatever bones you uncover will have your name attached too them and where you found them listed in the registry….no, you cannot keep them. There is also a similar program for kids. Very cool.
Visitors have the option of “I am short on time, but really want to see it” guided van tour by a real paleontologist called the Dino-De-Tour. The “Shovel Ready” program is a bit of history, a tour and some digging for a half day. You can also choose to participate in the “Paleo Prep” program. This is 3 hours in the lab learning about the tools used to clean the hard rock off the fossils and helping to clean them.
Dinosaur Academy is a 5-day program devoted to high school students, grade 9 through 12. They will get a little bit of everything.
Grandparents and grandchildren have their own program called “Dino Expedition – Generations”. One week of digging, cleaning fossils and general dinosaur education.
All of these programs are outside, during the hot summer months. It is recommended that you where sunscreen, hats and good hiking shoes. I personally love these…
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The Dinosaurs
The big guy that started the whole thing is “Jimbo”. A Supersaurus found at the dig site near Douglas, Wyoming. He is so large, he spans the entire length of the Wyoming Dinosaur Center.
Found near “Jimbo” is “Lori”. Lori is considered a bit of an oddity and a hotly debated conundrum. There is only a partial skeleton, but her basic size has been boiled down to about 35 inches. They have not been able to pin down exactly where she belongs as far as a full and accurate description. Just think, you could be the one to find more of her tiny bones to finally nail down exactly what she is.
These are only a few of the many dinosaur fossils on display at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. Take a day or a week and get over there. Explore the world from 150 million years ago. You will not regret it. If you are interested in more information regarding the WDC or to sign up for a program, please head to https://wyomingdinosaurcenter.org/.