Dinosaurs took over the Buffalo Museum of Science this weekend as DinoFEST brought giant dig pits, fossil-making stations and a dino disco to families across the region. Organizers expected the two-day event to draw more than 2,000 people, aiming the celebration at, as the event was framed, kids and kids at heart.
The event, held Saturday and Sunday at the museum, was designed to give children and adults a chance to explore dinosaurs and paleontology through hands-on activities, according to WGRZ. Visitors could dig for fossils, build their own paleontological keepsakes and dance the afternoon away at a dino disco, with an albertosaurus named Stella among the dinosaurs on display. Buffalo Rising described DinoFEST as a two-day celebration of all things dinosaurs, paleontology and geology, with the November 7 and 8 dates set at the museum.
Melanie Jaskolka, vice president of advancement at the Buffalo Museum of Science, said watching families engage with the exhibits made the weekend worthwhile. She said seeing visitors’ reactions was rewarding, and she particularly enjoyed watching children and adults alike show up in dinosaur-themed gear, according to the WGRZ report.
Hands-On Science Meets Paleontology
The museum’s own event listing promised hands-on activities, live demonstrations and immersive experiences for explorers of all ages, and invited guests to get creative with their own fossil making and meet special dinosaur guests, per the Buffalo Museum of Science’s event page. That matched what organizers delivered on site, where fossil-making activities and giant dig pits anchored the hands-on learning.
The Western New York Family Magazine event listing highlighted the wildly popular giant foam dig pit and Oobleck pits as returning favorites, alongside Fossil Sifting Bags and Stuff-A-Dino kits for younger visitors. WIVB reported that the museum used the weekend to educate visitors about paleontology and geology while offering hands-on scientific experiences for the crowds that came through.
Museum Leadership Touts Add-On Activities
Buffalo Museum of Science President and CEO Gary Siddall told WIVB that beyond the regular programs and exhibits, visitors could tack on special activities for an extra dose of dinosaur fun. We have everything from our regular programs and exhibits to special activities and events things you can add on to your experience whether that’s an additional craft you can even make your own stuffed dinosaur this weekend, Siddall said.
Admission figures for the event varied across listings. The museum’s own event page put adult admission at $23 cash or $23.69 by credit card, with children ages 2 to 17 priced at $19 cash or $19.57 by credit card, while Buffalo Rising reported tickets at $5 for museum members and $24 to $28 for non-members. The discrepancy between the two listings was not resolved in available materials.
DinoFEST organizers aimed the weekend squarely at families, pairing playful attractions like the dino disco with the kind of interactive learning about dinosaurs and fossils that has made the event a recurring draw for the museum. With thousands expected to pass through over the two days, the fossil pits and Stella the albertosaurus gave Buffalo families plenty of reasons to spend their weekend digging into prehistory.
