Discover an ancient world at our newest exhibit, Dig It! Prehistoric Creatures of the Sea.

Dig It!  Prehistoric Creatures of the Sea

Dig into our newest exhibit!  Everyone knows about the marine animals here at the Aquarium, but now you can explore and touch sea creatures from millions of years ago! They are waiting to be uncovered by pint-size paleontologists in the new interactive exhibit Dig It! Prehistoric Creatures of the Sea.

In this unique workshop experience kids can dig for hundreds of authentic sea fossils.

Equipped with safety goggles, a pocketed apron and digging tools kids go to the “Jurassic sand quarry,” where they can search for 14 different types of specimens hidden in sand from Utah’s deserts. The specimens range from shark and walrus teeth to fossilized whale ear bones (the whale’s inner ear), fish, coral and shark vertebrae from up to 600 million years ago.

After their “excavations” are complete, explorers go to a prep station, where they use etching picks and tools to fully uncover their fossil. Those with shark or walrus teeth can string their own shark or walrus tooth necklace. Upon leaving the exhibit, children are given identification cards containing information on their fossil.

The exhibit is open Friday, Saturday, Sundays and holidays from 10am to 4pm. Admission is $5 per child for non-members (in addition to aquarium admission) and $4 for members - this includes one fossil that the child can keep. Additional specimens: $5 non-member and $4 member. Check it out. Kids and adults alike are sure to dig it!

Monday through Thursday the Prehistoric Creatures of the Sea exhibit can be booked exclusively for group programs and parties, a great opportunity for scouts, home schoolers and school groups.  Programs must be booked with two weeks advance notification.  Contact the reservations department at 860-572-5955 ext. 520 for details and to make your reservation.