Have you ever wanted to work with real dinosaur bones?

Here is your chance.  This summer, Burpee Museum is offering several themed classes around the amazing paleontological research at Burpee.  With classes for youth and adults, you can participate in fossil preparation, identification and maybe even a discovery!

No Experience Needed

No Experience is needed for the classes.  Our paleontologists and educators will provide hands-on training in the lab and classroom!

When do we start?

Select Wednesdays this summer! Each themed class has two sessions with repeated content. 

• Week #1 - Wednesday June 15: Ninja Turtle Dig Site

• Week #2 - Wednesday June 29: Dinosaurs of the Cretaceous

• Week #3 - Wednesday July 6: Microfossils of the Cretaceous

• Week #4 - Wednesday July 27: Finding Fossils

AM Session: 9am-12pm

PM Session: 1pm-4pm

Course Details Below

Advanced students can apply to sign up for both sessions and have extended work time with the approval of the paleontology department and instructor.

What to Expect

• Guided learning within exhibits
• Tours or Workshops in collections
• Guided practice in the paleo lab (for ages 7 and Up)
• Mini Labs & Experiments
• Experiencing in the real work of paleontologists 
• a fantastic experience and a greater understanding of our prehistoric Earth.

 Ninja Turtle Dig Site 

Class Description Details

Citizen Scientist-Ninja Turtle Fossil Site Lab

Wednesday, June 15 

Work with fossils at Burpee! Join the paleontologists as we examine fossils 66 million years old from the Hell Creek Formation.  You will learn about the Ninja Turtle Locality, famous for its abundance of fossil turtles as well as numerous other animals, including T. rex, Triceratops, Thescelosaurus, Anzu, Edmontosauurs, sharks, rays, fish, crocodiles, and many more by examining fossil specimens collected and prepared by Burpee.  Then, try your hand at fossil preparation in the paleolab under the expert guidance of our paleo department as you work on your own fossil that needs cleaning and preparation. (Age 14 & Up)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $25/Member$15

Explorers-Burpee's Prehistoric Turtle Lab

Wednesday, June 15 

Explore Montana, 66 million years ago, at the Burpee PaleoLab through fossil evidence found at one of Burpee's favorite dig sites: The Ninja Turtle Locality! Not far from where Jane the T. rex was found, Burpee teams have discovered many examples of life in the age of dinosaurs including many theropods, and loads of fossil turtles! Students will examine Burpee fossils, learn why this spot is so rich in fossils and how we know that it was deposited on the inside bend of a river. Participants will have a chance to work in the paleolab under expert guidance of our paleo department, and try their hand at fossil preparation! (Age 7-13 years)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $18/Member$12

KidVentures-Teenage Ninja Turtles!

Wednesday, June 15 

Grab your brush, and get ready to swipe away the dirt as we explore Montana, 66 million years ago! Students will learn about Burpee's special Ninja Turtle dig site, not far from where Jane the T. rex was found. Budding paleontologists will enjoy this chance to examine dinos and dig into fossils! (Age 3-6 years)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $18/Member$12

ZooBabies: Fossil & Modern Turtles 

T is for TURTLE and do we have a TON of them! Touch living turtles, see turtles from the dinosaurs time, make your own turtle craft, and listen to a turtle tale. This parent-child class will have you shouting COWABUNGA!

Times: 9am-10am or 1pm-2pm

Price per Child: Non Member $12/$10 Members (Caregiver is free)

Dinosaurs of the Cretaceous

Class Description Details

Citizen Scientist-Fossils of The Hell Creek Formation

Wednesday, June 29

Work with Dinos at Burpee. In the summer of 2001, a small crew from the Burpee Museum traveled to the badlands of southeastern Montana in an effort to start building a vertebrate paleontology collection at the museum..and they found Jane the T. rex!  You can have a Cretaceous SPECIAL EXPERIENCE!!  Learn about the many 66 million year old fossils Burpee has collected by examining select specimens and then you can try your hand at Cretaceous fossil preparation of dinosaur fossil remains under the guidance of Burpee Paleo Staff and Educators.  (Age 14 & Up)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $25/Member$15

Explorers-Cretaceous Dino Lab 

Wednesday, June 15 

Work with Dinos at Burpee.Travel to the Cretaceous time period 66 million years ago and learn about the many fossils Burpee has collected and prepared...beyond what is on display for the public!  You can have a Cretaceous SPECIAL EXPERIENCE!! Examine select specimens, learn about the mighty animals, and then you can try your hand at Cretaceous fossil preparation of dinosaur fossil remains under the guidance of Burpee Paleo Staff and Educators.  (Age 7-13 years)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $18/Member$12

KidVentures-Uncovering Jane!

Wednesday, June 29 

JANE the T. rex and all her friends will be gathered to tell you where they were found...and how they got all the way back to Burpee! Learn the stories of these giant and amazing creatures, and head behind the scenes to see how fossils are prepared for study and display in our PaleoLab! (Age 3-6 years)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $18/Member$12

ZooBabies- T. Rex and Triceratops!

What does the dinosaur say?  Stomp your feet next to measurements of dinosaurs and see how you size up, see real dinosaurs, make your dino craft, and listen to a prehistoric tale! This parent-child class will have you shouting ROAR! (Age 3 & Under)

Times: 9am-10am or 1pm-2pm

Price per Child: Non Member $12/$10 Members (Caregiver is free)

Class Description Details

Citizen Scientist-Microfossils of Cretaceous Lab

Wednesday, July 6

Work with Burpee Fossils!! Under the feet of giant dinosaurs lived many different organisms- from tiny frogs, to fish, and even small mammals.  Prehistoric life on the ground was thriving! Explore life of the creatures living in the shadows of giants as our Burpee experts share finds from Montana 66 million years ago.  Armed with an ID guide and expert advice, you can begin your own adventure sifting through samples examining, sorting, and identifying these amazing microfossils! What will you discover? (Age 14 & Up)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $25/Member$15

Explorers-Prehistoric Frogs, Fish & Mammals

Wednesday, July 6

Under the feet of giant dinosaurs lived many different organisms- from tiny frogs, to fish, and even small mammals.  Prehistoric life on the ground was thriving! Explore life of the creatures living in the shadows of giants as our Burpee experts share finds from Montana 66 million years ago.  Sit in the scientist's chair and try your hand at examining, sorting, and identifying these amazing microfossils!   (Age 7-13 years)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $18/Member$12

KidVentures-Dino & Friends Lab

Wednesday, July 6

As Jane the T. rex stomped about, she had many creatures running about under her feet!  Meet the little mammals, frogs, salamanders, turtles, fish, and more of 66 million years ago.  Scientists have grand puzzles when they find little bits of these creatures...come learn with our Burpee crew!(Age 3-6 years)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $18/Member$12

ZooBabies- Prehistoric Lizards!

More than dinos!?  Grab your magnifying glass to see who were Jane's tiny companions roaming about the Cretaceous forest! Meet the modern relatives of Jane's friends like a LIVE monitor lizard, learn about prehistoric amphibians, make your craft, and listen to a prehistoric tale! This parent-child class will have you shouting ROAR! (Age 3 & Under)

Times: 9am-10am or 1pm-2pm

Price per Child: Non Member $12/$10 Members (Caregiver is free)

Class Description Details

Citizen Scientist-Fossil Formation and Prep

Wednesday, July 27

Dig deep underground, find fossils, and discover the secrets they hold! Explore taphonomy to see how organisms preserve & what happens AFTER they have fossilized! From floating fish fossils to rivers of dinosaur bones, fossil locations are full of important information for scientists!

Lab experiences will include: Bite Mark Mystery -Use casting techniques to find out who bit into this dinosaur bone. Poop Lab: Who Dealt it? -Investigate coprolites and how paleontologists learn from them.Taphonomy is METAL! -Gnarly bone beds and exceptional preservation...and so much more!!(Age 14 & Up)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $25/Member$15

Explorers-Dino Lab Fossil Formation

Wednesday, July 27

Dig deep underground, find fossils, and discover the secrets they hold! Explore taphonomy to see how organisms preserve & what happens AFTER they have fossilized! From floating fish fossils to rivers of dinosaur bones, fossil locations are full of important information for scientists!

Lab experiences will include: Bite Mark Mystery -Use casting techniques to find out who bit into this dinosaur bone. Poop Lab: Who Dealt it? -Investigate coprolites and how paleontologists learn from them. Taphonomy is METAL! -Gnarly bone beds and exceptional preservation...and so much more!!  (Age 7-13 years)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $18/Member$12

KidVentures-Dino Lab Fossils! 

Wednesday, July 27

How do fossils form? Can you make a fossil? Dig deep underground, find fossils, and discover the secrets they hold! From floating fish fossils to rivers of dinosaur bones, fossil locations are full of important information for scientists! Explore with Burpee with lab such as Bone Bites -learn how we figure out who was chewing on a prehistoric bone. Dino Poop! -What can we learn from fossilized poops?...and so much more!(Age 3-6 years)

Times: 9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm

Price: Non Member $18/Member$12

ZooBabies- Where do fossils come from? 

Explore fossils of dinos, turtles, and so much more!  Touch real bones and fossils, learn how bones turn to fossils, make your own fossil model, and enjoy a prehistoric tale! This parent-child class will have you shouting DIGGIN' DINOS! (Age 3 & Under)

Times: 9am-10am or 1pm-2pm

Price per Child: Non Member $12/$10 Members (Caregiver is free)