The Putnam Museum and Science Center is preparing to bring Dino Days roaring back in 2024. It’s the annual June event the museum bills as “a must-see for dinosaur enthusiasts” and “a fun-filled day of prehistoric adventure and discovery.”
The two-day Dino Days weekend will kick off this year on Friday night, June 28, and run through Sunday, June 30.
The exhibit is designed to transport visitors back to the age of the dinosaurs. There museum-goers will be able to meet a real paleontologist, interact with life-sized dinosaur puppets, catch a dinosaur movie and participate in other activities.
On Friday, June 28, the Putnam will kickstart the weekend activities at 7 p.m. with a screening of the classic 1990’s film “Jurassic Park” in 3D on the GIANT Screen Theater, according to a news release from the museum.
Then, at 10 a.m, Saturday, dinosaur-lovers will be treated to fun for the whole family that includes admission to the brand-new movie “T. Rex.” It will premiere at 11 a.m. in the GIANT Screen Theater.
The film incorporates real-life paleontology – including three children who recently found T. rex fossils in North Dakota – and cutting-edge, computer-generated imagery to bring the world of dinosaurs to life, the Putnam’s release said. That movie also will be interspersed throughout the weekend between screenings of the film “Dino Dana”.
Dino Day activities also will include a “Create Your Dinosaur Name” activity, face painting, a dinosaur button station, and a special “dig” area with a sluice and a sandbox. The full museum will be open with a scavenger hunt, and there will be talks given by a paleontologist and her dinosaur, the release said.
Museum-goers also can preserve their Dino Days memories with two separate photo opportunities: one for printed photos and one for selfies. Dino Days is sponsored by The Family Credit Union.
On Sunday, the event will run from noon to 5 p.m. and include a special sensory friendly version of the event starting at 10 a.m. The Putnam Museum’s sensory-friendly events are set up to avoid over stimulation, the release said.
The paleontologist will not be joined by her dinosaur until after noon, and some activities will be modified. The museum also will offer a sensory-friendly version of T. Rex at noon. The film will be shown in 2D rather than three, the lights will be dimmed rather than turned off, and the volume will be lowered.
Guests will be free to move around the theater and make noise. There will also be a “cool-down” zone in the Lardner Balcony. Tickets can be purchased here.
