DinoLand Events Calendar

When Zilker Botanical Garden opens its gates on Saturday morning, September 6th, visitors who have come to see the 30 life-size dinosaur models that have taken up temporary residence on the Escarpment Trail will not be disappointed!

Imagine stepping back in time and seeing these prehistoric creatures, grazing in a natural habitat filled with plant life that was growing in Austin millions of years ago…

• A 33-ft., 600 lb. Daspletosaur—carnivore cousin to the T-Rex. In the late Cretaceous period, this fellow was actually 45 feet long and weighed 6 tons!
• A 30-ft. Edmontosaurus—duckbill Hadrosaur, guarding her nest of eggs. She was 30 feet long and weighed 4 tons when she roamed the earth during the late Cretaceous period—as a more peaceful herbivore.
• A 30-ft. Kritosaurus—another duckbill Hadrosaur from the late Cretaceous period—whose name means “Noble Lizard”.
• And, they might be small, but watch out! A herd of 3-ft. Compsognathus (“Compies” in the movie, Jurassic Park), carnivorous Theropods from the upper Jurassic period, are joined by a herd of 4-ft. Bambiraptors—feathered velociraptors from the upper Cretaceous period. Let’s hope they’re not hungry!

Throughout the DinoLand Exhibit, Zilker Botanical Garden will host a variety of special events.

• The Hatching
  Saturday Sept. 6 & Sunday Sept. 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Opening weekend, Zilker Botanical Garden celebrates the arrival of the dinosaurs, with a festival atmosphere!
  • Enjoy fun and educational dino crafts & activities for the children.
  • Join Dinoman Dinosaurs! (www.dinoman.org) whose magic tricks, merry mayhem, & magnificent props will take you on a trip through the Mesozoic Era.
  • Explore a Zoo of Ferns and learn more about their prehistoric origins.
  • Shop with Vendors selling plants, pottery, dino tee-shirts, and so much more.
  • Pick up a Dino Safari Photo Kit (disposable camera, exhibit trail map, dino facts) before you tour the Escarpment Trail…you will want to capture the looks of surprise and delight on children’s faces at the sight of these amazing, prehistoric creatures!
    
    
• The Extravaganza
  Saturday Oct. 11 & Sunday Oct. 12, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Our 2nd special weekend event for the DinoLand Exhibit…a repeat performance, including dino crafts & activities for the kids, entertainment, exhibit tours, vendors…watch for more news to come!
    
    
• The Extinction
  Saturday Nov. 29, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Come and tell the dinos goodbye! They will be leaving Zilker Botanical Garden and migrating to another garden in the U.S., but Austin will not forget them for a long, long time to come. 
  • Join us for a “Rise & Shine Breakfast with the Dinos”, paleontologist pancakes…yummy! Hosted by the Austin Area Garden Council. Breakfast from 10 a.m. to Noon ($5 @ person, children under 3 years, free).

Watch for more news to come! Dino Lectures, Educators’ Evening, Exhibit Tour “free days”…