Dino Day

If there’s anything out there cooler than a dinosaur, don’t worry—a dinosaur will step on it. Join the Louisiana Art & Science Museum June 8 for a celebration of all things dino. One of the museum’s biggest events of the year, Dino Day gives mammals of all ages a chance to learn more about our exciting, gigantic predecessors as rulers of earth.

Members can arrive early for an 8:30 breakfast and a brief stargazing show at the planetarium before taking in a special showing of the planetarium film Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia. Narrated by Donald Sutherland (bringing a touch of Hollywood elegance to the Cretaceous), Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia examines the work of Argentinian paleontologist Rafael Coria, whose most famous discoveries are the Argentinosaurus, a behemoth whose vertebrae could reach over five feet long, and the Giganotosaurus, a Tyrannosaurus-shaped terror that could weigh in over ten tons. (And as if mere dinosaur discovery weren’t cool enough, Coria also owns his own museum… which is full of dinosaurs.)

From 10 am, the museum atrium will be open to all for activities, including hands-on activities, viewing of fossils, and explorations of the minerals that preserve the dinosaur remains we’ve discovered. Keep an eye out for stars Jason, the famous Triceratops skull familiar to visitors of the museum, and Rex, a somewhat more active dinosaur. Further viewings of Giants of Patagonia will take place throughout the day—as well as other dino shows such as Dinosaur Passage to Pangaea and Earth's Wild Ride—giving everyone a chance to be a little grateful the comet that gave us our chance at the top of the heap. (The strongest of men would be a canape to a ten-ton meat-eater.)

The full slate of activities for Dino Day is still being developed; check in at lasm.org to stay up to date.