St. Louis Prehistoric
Life Show
A day of fossils, deep time, and discovery at the Saint Louis Science Center. Bring the whole family.
Join the herd
Invites to upcoming events, updates, a reminder before October 17, and first word on what comes next.
In the Atrium
Meet the people who dig St. Louis's deep past
Local fossil clubs, museums, and universities with real specimens, plus the Trading Post and the coloring table.
See who's coming
In the Dino Den
Prehistoric life, through an artist's eye
A gallery of paleoart, including Lola, a giant T. rex skull sculpture by Nicki Mizell, as featured in Smithsonian Magazine.
See the gallery
In the T. Rex Room
See what a lifetime of collecting looks like
Real fossil collections on exhibit, from Pennsylvanian sea life to fluorescent minerals.
Explore the collections
In May Hall
Bring your fossil. We'll tell you what it is.
The Fossil Road Show and Mizzou's geology tables, with real experts ready to take a look.
Learn more
On the Energy Stage
Live talks and demos, all day long
Fossil presentations, paleoart demonstrations, and yes, a volcano show.
See what's on stage
In the Dig Site
Get your hands dirty
Sort gravel for fossils, split Green River slabs for fish, and make a bracelet out of crinoid fossils.
Kids' activities
Made the magazine
The Saint Louis Science Center wrote up the show in the Fall 2026 issue of NewScience.
Read the feature
Officially on the calendar
The full listing, with the highlights and the partner organizations, is up on slsc.org.
See the listing
A shout-out from the Science Center
The Saint Louis Science Center put the show in front of its followers.
See the postEvery mention, post, and listing we know about.
See the press page
Help us fill St. Louis with fossils
The show costs about $5,000 to put on and is built entirely by volunteers. We are raising the first $2,500 now. Donations run through Paleoheritage and are tax deductible.
Give on GoFundMe
They fill the rooms
The Science Center opens the doors. The fossils, the activities, the food, and the shirts on our volunteers are there because people gave.
Read their names
The Science Center has fossils of its own
The prep lab, the Earth Sciences gallery, the animatronics, and two dinosaurs that have been outside since 1987.
Science Center highlightsPlan your visit
Forest Park, with free parking at the Planetarium next door.
Directions and parkingOptional: reserve a free ticket. Not required. Walk-ins welcome.
Fossils belong to everyone
No tickets. No barriers. Just ancient life, brought into the open. Learn what the day is about and who makes it happen.
About the show
Where everything is
The show fills six spaces at the Saint Louis Science Center. Each one has its own exhibitors, activities, and schedule.
In the Atrium
Meet the people who dig St. Louis's deep past
Local fossil clubs, museums, and universities with real specimens, plus the Trading Post and the coloring table.
See who's coming
In the Dino Den
Prehistoric life, through an artist's eye
A gallery of paleoart, including Lola, a giant T. rex skull sculpture by Nicki Mizell, as featured in Smithsonian Magazine.
See the gallery
In the T. Rex Room
See what a lifetime of collecting looks like
Real fossil collections on exhibit, from Pennsylvanian sea life to fluorescent minerals.
Explore the collections
In May Hall
Bring your fossil. We'll tell you what it is.
The Fossil Road Show and Mizzou's geology tables, with real experts ready to take a look.
Learn more
On the Energy Stage
Live talks and demos, all day long
Fossil presentations, paleoart demonstrations, and yes, a volcano show.
See what's on stage
In the Dig Site
Get your hands dirty
Sort gravel for fossils, split Green River slabs for fish, and make a bracelet out of crinoid fossils.
Kids' activitiesFossils belong to everyone
The St. Louis Prehistoric Life Show is a free, one-day celebration of ancient life at the Saint Louis Science Center. It brings together fossil collectors, paleontologists, educators, students, and curious visitors of all ages for a day of exhibits, hands-on discovery, and community connection.
The show is built around the idea that fossils belong to everyone. No tickets. No barriers. Just ancient life, brought into the open.
Who makes it happen
The show is organized by the SLPLS volunteer committee, dedicated to making paleontology accessible across St. Louis and beyond. It is brought to life by the many fossil clubs, museums, universities, and community groups who take part, and paid for by the people who have donated.
Committee
Jon Porter
Co-founder
Kristen Tippit
Co-founder
Asa Kaplan
Co-founder
Patrick Weck
Paleoart co-chair
Lissa Noctis
Paleoart co-chair
Maggie Mundwiller
Communications chair
And a long list of others
A volunteer planning committee formed around us, made up of people who show up on weeknights after their actual jobs because they want this to exist. A complete list of acknowledgements is coming.
Plan your visit
Forest Park, St. Louis
Free surface parking at the Planetarium, connected to the event by bridge and tunnel. Paid parking at the main building, plus limited free street parking nearby.
Participating organizations
The St. Louis Prehistoric Life Show is built through collaboration. These organizations bring fossils, deep time, and natural history education to the show.
Get in touch
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