EASTEND — August is a time for fun and exploration at the T. rex Discovery Centre (TRDC) in Eastend, including celebrating a special day for Scotty, the world's largest T. rex.
Scotty was discovered on Aug. 16, 1991, by high school principal Robert Gebhardt on a prospecting expedition with a team of paleontologists from the Royal Saskatchewan Museum into the Frenchman Formation alongside the Frenchman River Valley in southwestern Saskatchewan.
The TRDC will be marking Scotty's unearthed day with activities on Sunday, Aug. 16, including cupcakes and Dino cookies, along with a special Scotty-themed scavenger hunt with a Dino-themed gift basket up for grabs.
"The T.rex Discovery Centre is a wonderful place to create memories with family and friends, and offers lots of new and exciting adventures," Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Alana Ross said.
"Whether it is getting up close to Scotty or checking out the amazing marine reptiles, prehistoric mammals, dinosaur fossils or interactive programming, there is something for visitors of all ages at the TRDC."
For the Scotty Unearthed Day Celebration, Robert Gebhardt will also be there sorting through microfossils, and visitors will get a chance to meet the man who discovered Scotty!
TRDC Exhibits and Programming
One new addition to the centre this year is two life-size Thescelosaurus casts on display in the Cretaceous gallery.
Thescelosaurus were relatively common for the region and roamed the earth in the late Cretaceous, about 66-67 million years ago. These small herbivores walked on two legs and were approximately 3.5 metres in length.
The centre features guided and self-guided tours featuring Scotty the T. rex, Omācīw the Tylosaurus and Thor the Brontothere.
The Discovery Theatre runs two films daily, the story of Scotty's discovery or the all-new, critically acclaimed film, T.REX.
The Paleo Lab Experience has a family-based interactive lab area.
Visitors can also explore the beautiful landscape of the Frenchman River Valley on the hiking trails situated around the Discovery Centre. The outdoor play area also features a photo opportunity for guests.
Funded by the Government of Saskatchewan and generous donors, the TRDC is operated by the Royal Saskatchewan Museum and is open each summer for visitors to explore.
The TRDC, located at 1-T-rex Dr. in Eastend, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Labour Day. The centre is an hour-and-a-half drive from Swift Current and a one-hour drive from Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park.
Check the website at: royalsaskmuseum.ca.
