Dino Days of Summer stomps back into Milwaukee Public Museum this week, kicking off three weeks of dinosaur education, exploration and celebration, through July 25 at the museum, 800 W. Wells St.
Fun for the entire family, Dino Days of Summer includes everything from checking out real dinosaur fossils to making your own fossil replicas, testing your knowledge at a family trivia night, a Planetarium program and more.
Here’s this year’s Dino Days lineup:
Dino SOARS! Planetarium Program, daily (closed Tuesdays)
The Daniel M. Soref Dome Theater and Planetarium will show Dino SOARS! at 12:10 p.m. (included with general admission). The film explores the fascinating connections between birds and dinosaurs.
Education Stations, Monday-Saturday (closed Tuesdays)
MPM Educators will be on the exhibit floors to engage visitors in special learning opportunities about the following topics (included with general admission):
- Fossil Challenge: What is a fossil? Put your paleontology skills to the test and try deciphering which objects are fossils, which are not and why!
- Dino or Di-No? We all think we're experts on dinosaurs, but does our knowledge stand up to the geological pressure when put to the test? Learn what sets dinosaurs apart from other prehistoric creatures.
- Name-a-Saurus: Did you ever wonder how dinosaurs got their names? Learn about how scientists name species, and put it into practice by creating your own dino name!
- Mary Anning, Paleontologist Extraordinaire: Learn about Mary Anning, 19th-century fossilist, geologist and paleontologist. Dig through her famous finds to unearth your paleontology skills!
Early Learning Saturday Storytime Series: Dinosaurs, July 12 and 19, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Families with young children (recommended for ages 3-8) are invited to the Museum’s Early Learning classroom under the Grand Staircase on the Ground Floor for fossil-making, storytimes and other arts and crafts that celebrate all things dino.
Dino Family Trivia, Thursday, July 24, 6-8 p.m.
For those looking to test their di-knowledge, MPM is hosting Family Dino Trivia Night. Participants will compete for prizes and bragging rights as the Dino Trivia Champ. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased at mpm.edu/dino-days.
“When summer is at its hottest, the Museum is the perfect place to keep cool and keep learning – and have fun doing it,” says MPM Education Events & Volunteer Manager Erin Goff.
“MPM’s dinosaur exhibits are fan-favorites, and so we’re eager to dig into the stories behind our dino displays and specimens to provide visitors of all ages with new insight and appreciation for these fascinating creatures that continue to capture our imaginations,”
For more information on Dino Days of Summer, head over to mpm.edu/dino-days.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press. A fifth collects Urban Spelunking articles about breweries and maltsters.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has been heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
