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Member Honorary Night – March 6, 2026

    Friday Night Kick-Off Event

    PaleoFest’s Member Honorary Night is a special Friday evening kick-off hosted by the Burpee Museum of Natural History, created to celebrate the museum’s members and supporters.

    Museum members receive free admission (registration required), and tickets are available for anyone who would like to attend.

    During this family-friendly evening, guests will enjoy:

    • A cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres and cash bar

    • The chance to mingle with scientists, science enthusiasts, and museum supporters

    • A hands-on youth class focused on T rex vs Nanno! (register here)

    • A featured keynote lecture presented in an accessible, family-friendly format

    Tickets that include Friday Night Talk

    Featured Speaker: Dr. James Napoli

    The Scientist Who Solved the Mystery of “Jane”
    Dr. James Napoli is an evolutionary biologist and vertebrate paleontologist at Stony Brook University who has spent years investigating one of science’s most heated debates: Was “Jane” a teenage T. rex, or something entirely new?
    In a historic Nature paper (October 2025), Dr. Napoli and his team provided the definitive answer. By examining over 200 tyrannosaur fossils and using cutting-edge 3D modeling, he proved that Nanotyrannus is a real, distinct species—not just a young T. rex.

    Why you can’t miss this session:

    The Inside Story of Nanotyrannus lethaeus: Dr. Napoli named this new species after the River Lethe (the river of forgetfulness), a nod to how this predator remained “hidden in plain sight” for decades.
    Rewriting the History Books: For 30 years, scientists modeled T. rex growth using these fossils. Dr. Napoli will explain why he says paleontology now needs to “demolish the building and rebuild it” to correct our understanding of the dinosaur world.
    The “Dueling Dinosaurs” Connection: Hear the high-stakes details of his work with the Dueling Dinosaurs specimen—a Nanotyrannus and Triceratops locked in a prehistoric battle—and how it helped confirm Jane’s true identity.
    Join us at the Friday Honorary Member Kick-Off to meet the man who officially gave Rockford’s favorite dinosaur a name of her own.

    DID YOU KNOW!?

    The “dueling” Difference: T. rex vs. Nanotyrannus

    Size Isn't Everything

     A full-grown Nanotyrannus was only about half the length and one-tenth the weight of a mature T. rex. Even though it was smaller, it was still a fierce adult predator—not just a “baby” rex.

    The Arm Race

    Nanotyrannus actually had larger arms and hands than a giant T. rex. While T. rex is famous for its tiny two-fingered arms, Nanotyrannus had longer, powerful limbs.

    A "Mouthful" of Teeth

     Nanotyrannus had nearly double the number of teeth as a T. rex. While T. rex had about 60 thick, bone-crushing teeth, Nanotyrannus had roughly 100 slender, blade-like teeth perfect for slicing meat.

    The "Impossible" Transformation

    Skeletal clues, like fused spinal bones and growth rings in their limbs, show that some Nanotyrannus specimens were approximately 20 years old and finished growing. For it to become a T. rex, its arms would have to shrink and its teeth would have to disappear—something that Dr. Napoli describes as biologically “impossible”.

    Speed Demons

    While T. rex was a heavy-hitter built for power, it is thought that Nanotyrannus was a lean, agile sprinter. Its longer legs and lighter build made it much faster, allowing it to hunt quick prey that a bulky T. rex could never catch.

    Different Brain Designs

    High-tech CT scans of their skulls show that Nanotyrannus had different nerve and sinus patterns than T. rex. These internal structures are “set” early in an animal’s life, providing evidence for were two completely different species

    "Dig" Deeper

    Hungry for more? Feed your intellectual appitite on our Jane webpage at https://burpee.org/jane/

    5:30 pm – Main Museum
    Doors Open for Reception:  hors d’oeuvres & cash drinks

    6:00 pm – Check In for T.rex vs Nano Craft Lab

    6:16pm  Evening Speaker

    7:30 pm – Museum Closes

    What to Expect

    Paleontology focus:
    The event features a keynote speaker who is often a prominent paleontologist, discussing their research and discoveries.
    Social gathering:
    Besides the lecture, the night includes a cocktail hour, allowing guests to network and socialize with other science enthusiasts.
    Part of PaleoFest:
    This member night is part of the larger PaleoFest event, a weekend-long celebration of paleontology with various talks, workshops, and exhibits open to the public.

    About Burpee Museum’s PaleoFest

    Since 1999, PaleoFest has become an internationally recognized and respected program that celebrates the science of Paleontology. PaleoFest is an exemplary program to excite, educate, and inspire all people in science. This 3-day event includes many educational programs and activities for all levels of interest in paleontology. Each year, PaleoFest attracts nearly 2,000 visitors and some of the biggest names in the field.