DinoFest 2026: Prehistoric Skies

DinoFest 2026: Prehistoric Skies

While the dinosaurs you know and love roamed the land, the sky above was filled with ancient hunters large and small. At NHMU’s 10th-annual DinoFest on January 31 and February 1, 2026, we’re exploring the animals that dominated these Prehistoric Skies and how they interacted with dinosaurs below.

With a lineup of world-class paleontologists, we’re taking flight into the world of pterosaurs, early birds, and flying insects that lived millions of years ago. Our DinoFest experts will offer you a rare, inside look at the latest discoveries from the world of paleontology and provide answers to your pressing questions.

Join us at DinoFest: Prehistoric Skies for a journey into the past that you can’t find anywhere else. As always, you will enjoy special access to the Paleo Preparation Lab and Paleontology Collections to get up close with incredible fossils. And this year, for the first time, we’re offering paleontology-themed workshops for fans seeking more opportunities to explore DinoFest.

Experience More at DinoFest: Prehistoric Skies

Journey to the Age of Dinosaurs: Guided Tour

11:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Discover fossils uncovered by NHMU scientists and learn what they reveal about Utah’s ancient past. Explore life among powerful predators, mighty herbivores, and dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes — all surrounded by their towering skeletons.

HawkWatch International: Live Birds in the Lab

1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.

At DinoFest, HawkWatch International will feature live birds of prey and fun, interactive learning about how raptors are connected to dinosaurs. Families will discover the amazing adaptations of modern birds while meeting these charismatic creatures up close.

Traveling Treasures Exhibit: Woven through Time

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Utah’s Indigenous baskets are essential tools, sources of cultural knowledge, and expressions of spiritual significance, with traditions passed down through generations. This exhibit, sponsored by Zions Bank, invites you to explore the evolving cultures of Utah’s tribal nations through the stories held in each basket.

Meet NHMU’s Collections & Research Staff & Scientists

10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Throughout DinoFest weekend, meet our scientists as they share their latest discoveries and the stories behind our remarkable objects. Explore real research up close and learn directly from the experts who study and preserve the collections that shape our understanding of life on Earth.

Storytime with the Salt Lake City Public Library

11:30 p.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m.

Join our friends from the Salt Lake City Public Library for a fun, dino-inspired Storytime featuring engaging stories for young learners and their families.

Jurassic Tacos Food Truck outside the Museum

11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Enjoy bold, authentic Mexican flavors that ignite your taste buds. A multiple-time People’s Choice Award winner at Utah Taco Fest (2017, 2018, 2019, and 2023) and the Taco & Margarita Fest, they’ll be serving up dino-sized bites for vegetarians and carnivores alike.

Museum Puppet Theater presents Fowl Skies

Showtimes run every 15 minutes from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Come and see a short feature of Fowl Skies, where we will tell the story of our small friend, Anurognathus ammoni, and his journey to evolving flight! Watch out, though, the skies are not as calm as they seem.

Community Partners