📍 Virginia Museum of Natural History
📅 Friday, July 25 & Saturday, July 26, 2025 | 🕙 10 AM – 4 PM Daily
Get ready for a prehistoric party millions of years in the making — the Dino Festival is stomping back into Martinsville for two dino-mite days of discovery, fun, and fossil-filled excitement! Whether you’re a T. rex fanatic, a budding paleontologist, or just a fan of jaw-dropping exhibits, this event at the Virginia Museum of Natural History is a must-attend for the whole family.
🦕 Walk Among the Giants
Behold life-size cast skeletons of some of the most iconic dinosaurs from the Mesozoic Era:
- Triceratops – That famous three-horned face from the Late Cretaceous.
- Stegosaurus – A spiky-backed Jurassic herbivore.
- Acrocanthosaurus – A massive Early Cretaceous predator.
- Allosaurus – One of the Jurassic period’s top carnivores.
- Tenontosaurus – A peaceful Early Cretaceous plant-eater.
- Platecarpus Tympaniticus – A 17-foot-long sea monster (mosasaur) from ancient oceans!
And don’t miss incredible skulls of:
🦖 Tyrannosaurus rex
🧠 Albertosaurus
🦆 Edmontosaurus
🦈 Dunkleosteus (a 360-million-year-old armored fish!)
🐊 Tylosaurus (a giant sea-going reptile)
🐾 Dromaeosaurus (a cousin of the Velociraptor)
🤖 Animatronic Dinosaurs Bring the Past to Life
See (and hear!) life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, including:
- Dilophosaurus – No, it didn’t spit venom like in the movies… but it’s still super cool!
- Herrerasaurus – One of the earliest meat-eaters to roam the Earth.
🦴 Real Fossils & Dino Tracks
Explore a massive fossil collection featuring:
- Teeth and bones from iconic predators like T. rex and Allosaurus
- Fossilized skin and bones from long-necked sauropods
- Dinosaur tracks from across Virginia — over 200 million years old!
🎉 Activities for All Ages
Dino Festival is more than just exhibits — it’s a full-on family celebration! Enjoy:
- 🖌️ Face painting & balloon animals
- 🍴 Food trucks with delicious eats
- 🎨 Dino-themed crafts & children’s activities
- 🦖 Costumed dinosaurs for photo ops
- 🛍️ Dino-themed shopping in the Museum Store
- 📸 Themed photo booth
- 🦕 NEW: Virtual Reality Dinosaur Experience!
💰 Admission Details
- $15 – Adults (18–59)
- $10 – Ages 3–17, Seniors 60+, College Students
- FREE – Children under 3
- FREE – VMNH Members
- FREE – Members of ASTC Passport institutions (with valid card)
- FREE – EBT cardholders + up to 5 immediate family members
🎟️ Groupons are accepted!
🚪 Admission available at the gate.
📍 Entry via Starling Avenue only.
🅿️ Free off-site parking.
🎉 Bonus: Friday ticket holders can come back Saturday for free!
🌦️ Know Before You Go
- This event takes place indoors and outdoors.
- All exhibits and offerings are subject to change.
- The museum’s blockbuster exhibit, The Age of Dinosaurs, is also included with admission — don’t miss it!
Make tracks to the Virginia Museum of Natural History this July for the most colossal event of the summer. Whether you’re 3 or 93, the Dino Festival is your chance to step back in time and experience the age when giants ruled the Earth.
🦖 Dig in, explore, and ROAR — Dino Festival awaits!
For updates, visit: www.vmnh.net
