Fossil Day teaches kids hands-on skills
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Morrill Hall invited young scientists from all around the Lincoln area to participate in Fossil Day on Saturday.
Children got the chance to interact with in-house paleontologists to learn about the animals that once roamed the Nebraska area.
Public relations and membership manager, Caroline Clements, said the staff was glad to have a high turnout.
“It’s very high energy,” Clements said. “It’s fun to see them running around exploring, talking with the researchers, being excited about science, science kind of has that stigma of ‘sometimes it’s not always fun or it’s hard.”
Clements said all the excitement was welcomed as it showed that the kids were learning.
“As a museum, we are actually the opposite of what you’d think about museums,” she said. “We don’t want those quiet halls. We love hearing the kids run up and down the halls, they’re curious, they’re excited, they’re engaging in the science.”
On the main floor, visitors could start their day by donating to the Food Bank of Lincoln to be entered into a raffle to win museum-inspired prizes.
Next, guests got the chance to participate in a scavenger hunt.
Highway paleontologist Shane Tucker tasked guests to match a fossil to its corresponding display in the room.
“It’s been awesome, it’s fun,” said Tucker. “It gives you enthusiasm to see that energy and enthusiasm in kids. Seeing them explore find things on their own, the answers and so it’s been a great atmosphere today.”
Tucker said his job has him working with Lincoln’s transportation department to handle fossils found in highway development.
His booth reflected his job with the fossils representing elephants that were found during digs.
As visitors roamed the halls they could visit the museum’s mascot Archie the Mammoth to get a special high-five and family photo.
After taking a picture with Archie, they could make their way up the fourth floor to talk with researchers about the stories behind locally found fossils.
There they could hold some fossils while hearing about where they were found.
For more information on events at Morrill Hall click here.
