The Port City is going prehistoric this weekend.
National touring exhibit Discover the Dinosaurs comes to the Wilmington Convention Center, 515 Nutt St., Saturday and Sunday with a look at the giant reptiles and their habitats.
Visitors can see true-to-size dinos–both static and animatronic–in the period that reflects when they lived. The scene is fully set with lighting, sound effects and fog. Pick up a scavenger hunt at the entrance to track the dinosaurs throughout the exhibit.
You can even hop in a saddle and take a once-in-a-lifetime ride on the back of a terrifying T-Rex or Triceratops for a photo op.
In addition to the life-like replicas, there will be a theater screening educational and entertaining movies on a “dinosaur-sized screen” throughout the day and a themed mini-golf course.
A gem and fossil panning station allows you to purchase a bag of mining rough and step up to the sluice to shake it out in running water, and you can don a headlamp-equipped hardhat to find hidden rocks, gems, and fossils located in a dark makeshift mine shaft.
Specifically for the little ones, a “dino dig” gives budding paleontologists a chance to discover fossils, while the “dino den” houses less ferocious versions of the creatures that can be hugged, touched and climbed upon. And there will be a host of inflatables on hand, as well as face painting in a variety of dinosaur designs.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $19 for children ages 2-12. Children under 2 years of age are admitted free and senior tickets are $12 each. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets in advance. Admission is also available at the door.
