Dig into Hands-On Paleontological Experiences in Wyoming that Bring Disney•Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur” to Life

CHEYENNE, Wyoming – With Disney•Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur” now in theatres, the Wyoming Office of Tourism is excited to announce the release of online resources, available at WyomingTourism.org/thegooddinosaur, designed to help visitors plan paleontological experiences in the state.

In the film, an Apatosaurus named Arlo and his human friend, Spot, traverse the beautiful—and at times, challenging—landscape, but Arlo is not the first dinosaur to roam the state. Wyoming is home to some of the best dinosaur fossil fields in the world, and the only state completely overlaying the Morrison Formation, a sequence of Upper Jurassic sedimentary rock known to contain hundreds of dinosaur fossils.

“Fans of Arlo and ‘The Good Dinosaur’ can roam the same areas that real dinosaurs did in pre-historic times, learn about what life was like for these creatures and even dig for dinosaur fossils throughout the state,” said Diane Shober, Executive Director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism. “The film’s setting was inspired by iconic Wyoming landscapes, which helps showcase the state’s deep connections to paleontology.”

Wyoming is home to more than a dozen paleontological museums, dig sites and trails where visitors can admire and even find their own fossils. A few of those sites are included below with a full list and map of locations at WyomingTourism.com/things-to-do/Paleontology.

 ·         Wyoming Dinosaur Center – This museum, located in Thermopolis, is home to nearly 80 identified dig sites and more than 30 mounted dinosaur skeletons, many of which were recovered by visitors through the “Dig for Day” program. A dig site tour offers a rare opportunity to see dinosaur footprints, and the Center’s Preparation Lab is open for the public to work alongside paleontologists. A video highlighting the Wyoming Dinosaur Center and the area’s connections to “The Good Dinosaur” is available here. 

·         The University of Wyoming Geological Museum – A 75-foot Apatosaurus skeleton, discovered in 1901 at Sheep Creek in Albany County, fills the exhibit hall at the University of Wyoming Geological Museum in Laramie. Museum guests can also visit “Big Al,” the most complete Allosaurus fossil ever discovered. The museum also houses a working Prep Lab for visitors to learn about fossil preparation.

 ·         Wyoming State Museum – The Wyoming State Museum, located in Cheyenne, is an ideal place for dinosaur fans to get a thorough overview of Wyoming’s paleontological history. “Rex in Pieces” is the museum’s permanent dinosaur exhibit, highlighting the most prehistoric Wyoming creatures. It also features a cast of a full-sized Camptosaurus skeleton, one of the first dinosaurs found in the state.

 ·         Tate Geological Museum at Casper College – Paleontologists at the Tate in Casper offer week-long digs where visitors can excavate and collect artifacts. The museum is also home to Lee Rex, the T. rex, and Dee, one of the largest Columbian mammoths ever found, on display.

 ·         Glenrock Paleontological Museum – Established when the museum’s director discovered a triceratops at a local ranch, this museum in Glenrock encourages visitors to engage with the staff in the Preparation Lab as they take fossils from the field and prepare them for exhibits.

About the Wyoming Office of Tourism

The Wyoming Office of Tourism is the only agency charged with promoting and marketing the state as a vacation destination to domestic and international leisure visitors. The tourism office provides inspiration and trip planning tools in partnership with local tourism entities. Marketing programs have consistently supported increased visitation, and Wyoming welcomed a record 10.1 million visitors in 2014. Tourism is the second largest industry in Wyoming and employs more than 31,000 residents.

About the movie

"The Good Dinosaur" asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct?  Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo (voice of Raymond Ochoa) makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of. Directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Denise Ream (“Cars 2”), Disney•Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur” opens in theaters on Nov. 25, 2015. The film is rated PG. For more information, check out http://movies.disney.com/the-good-dinosaur, like us on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/PixarTheGoodDinosaur, and follow us on Twitter, https://twitter.com/TheGoodDinosaur, and Instagram, https://instagram.com/TheGoodDinosaur. 

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