Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration will celebrate its new interactive exhibit Dig It! Prehistoric Creatures of the Sea with a grand opening this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This first-of-its-kind, hands-on exhibit provides a unique workshop experience where kids can dig for hundreds of authentic sea fossils. Currently, only three of these exhibits are open in the United States.
During the grand opening, kids will win prizes for finding specific fossils and can uncover coupons for discounts off their next dig. Giveaways will also take place throughout the day.
Children can search for 14 different types of specimens, ranging from shark and walrus teeth to fossilized whale ear bones (the whale’s inner ear), fish, coral and shark vertebrae, dating back to 600 million years ago. After their “excavations” are complete, little explorers continue to one of two prep stations, where they are provided with etching picks and tools to fully uncover their fossil.
The exhibit is open on weekends and holidays and will remain at the Aquarium through January 2010.
COST: Admission into the exhibit is $5 per child (plus aquarium admission) and includes one fossil that the child can keep. Each additional fossil is $5. Cost for aquarium members is $4.