DinoFest

What is this?

When: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Where: Carnegie Museum of Natural History Tickets: Included with purchase of museum admission. Get Tickets → Dig into the past, present, and future of paleontology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s second annual DinoFest! Discover how studying ancient fossils shapes our understanding of life today as you enjoy conversations with working paleontologists and hands-on activities led by museum researchers, educators, and community partners. Programming is designed for all ages and every level of dinosaur knowledge. DinoFest Schedule Ongoing Family-Friendly Activities: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., drop in any time Explore how dinosaurs lived, how fossils form, and how paleontologists work in the field through activities designed for kids ages 5–12 and their families. • Measure the length of the Diplodocus carnegii fossil from snout to tail, estimate its weight, and compare Dippy’s size to familiar objects. • Test your dinosaur knowledge by identifying dinosaurs from their silhouette and a few fun facts. • Discover the colors of dinosaur feathers based on research by Dr. Sarah Davis, Collection Manager of Paleobiology. • Become a dinosaur detective as you learn to identify what is and is not a fossil. • Create your own Pennsylvania fossil field guide to take home. • Pick up a brush and practice uncovering dinosaur and mammal fossils in Bone Hunters’ Quarry, a recreation of an actual dig-site. Conversations with Researchers: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., drop in any time Meet and chat with paleontologists from Carnegie Museum of Natural History and visiting institutions! They’ll share fossils, research, and stories from their work in the field and the lab. Scientific Illustration Demonstration: 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., 12:30–1:30 p.m., Third Floor Overlook Learn how Scientific Illustrator Andrew McAfee brings extinct species to life through detailed paleontology illustrations. Livestream Dino Dig: 12:00–1:00 p.m., 2:00–3:00 p.m., Library Lecture Hall Research paleontologist and science livestreamer Danny Anduza will bring you along to a current dig site for a live Q&A from the field. Observe work in real time, ask anything about research, and hear from in-person host Dr. Matt Lamanna, Mary R. Dawson Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology. Keynote Speaker: 1:00–2:00 p.m., Library Lecture Hall Listen to vertebrate paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Dr. James Napoli present new research on Nanotyrannus, a smaller cousin of T. rex. PaleoLab Talks: 12:00–12:45 p.m. and 2:00–2:45 p.m., PaleoLab Lobby Peek into the ongoing work in PaleoLab and hear from fossil preparator Joe Sawchak! Learn how fossils are conserved, stabilized, and prepared for display—including continued care of the museum’s historic Mosasaurus skeleton and other remarkable specimens. Carnegie Museum Store: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Bring home a memento from your day at the museum! Don’t miss the specially curated DinoFest section. Get Your Tickets for DinoFest! Purchase of museum admission is required to attend DinoFest. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door. Advance purchase is strongly recommended. Make sure to select June 13, 2026 for admission to DinoFest. Get Tickets → Peek inside Kamin Hall of Dinosaurs! Vertebrate Paleontology in the News “Fossil reveals bizarre gliding creature that hunted birds 120 million years ago,” CNN “Carnegie museum paleontologist co-leads discovery of a new dinosaur species in China,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “The Megaraptor Had Giant Claws and an Appetite for for Crocodilians,” The New York Times “How Realistic are Movie Dinosaurs?” NPR Short Wave “This Odd-Looking New Spinosaurus is Reviving an Age-Old Debate,” National Geographic Dinosaur Stories Read articles by museum experts to get ready for DinoFest! Mesozoic Monthly: NasutoceratopsMesozoic Monthly: DreadnoughtusMesozoic Monthly: ScipionyxMesozoic Monthly: GargoyleosaurusIn the Field: Following the Work of a PaleontologistThe Strange Saga of Spinosaurus, the Semiaquatic Dinosaurian SuperpredatorThe Two-Headed DinosaurThe Dinosaur of a Lifetime