Dinosaurs Are Now Roaring at Eastern Iowa’s River Museum

Okay, full disclosure, I’ve been obsessed with dinosaurs since I was a kid. Like, full-on dino-geek. I had the books, the toys, the Jurassic Park marathons. In fact, my family still does those, honestly. So when I heard Ice Dinosaurs: The Lost World of the Alaskan Arctic was coming to the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, I basically cleared my calendar for a special sneak peek, and now you can enjoy it too!

This traveling exhibit runs now through September 14 and dives into something most of us have never thought about. The fact that dinosaurs lived in the Arctic and went through actual seasons. Yep, snow-covered, bone-chilling, half-the-year-dark Arctic. And not just survived there, but thrived.

Get our free mobile app

The whole experience is a mix of science, storytelling, and seriously cool visuals. You’ll come face-to-face with life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, including a newly discovered giant Arctic Troodon. It's 50% bigger than any Troodon found elsewhere. These creatures move, roar, blinkand bring to life an extremely 'cool' time in history.

One of the highlights is following the journey of Snowflake, a baby Troodon, from egg to agile young hunter. You basically get to walk through a prehistoric year in her Arctic life. It’s extremely fascinating to see how these animals survived and adapted to a harsher environment. There are even real fossils and authentic casts you can actually touch, which is a big win for hands-on learning kids and curious adults like me.

The exhibit’s included with general admission, but there’s more: on Saturday, June 14th, world-renowned paleontologist Dr. Greg Erickson is giving two special 30-minute talks (10:00 AM and 1:00 PM). He's actually one of the minds behind these discoveries. Tickets are just $5, but seating is limited, so grab yours early if you’re planning to go.

They’re also offering summer camps, a family overnight experience, and even a 21+ Great Museum Race: Dino-mite Edition in July if you’re feeling competitive.

Want to learn more? Check out our full Ice Dinosaurs exhibit interview below:

Honestly, if you're crazy about dinos, this is a no-brainer. It’s fun, educational, and full of “Whoa, I didn’t know that” moments. And if it’s been a while since you’ve visited the River Museum, now’s the perfect time. Loads of updates are underway or open now. They’ve added a 30-foot trout stream, an expanded otter habitat is on the way, and a new aviary is in the works.

Alright, enough rambling—let’s check out the exhibit! Scroll down for a peek inside the frosty world of Ice Dinosaurs...

There are even more adventures you can have in Dubuque!