What do a dinosaur bone, an ichthyosaur shadow, and a ferry ride have in common? All were part of a one-of-a-kind afternoon on Lopez Island as 200 community members came together to experience the Dig In! mobile exhibit from the Burke Museum.
The event marked the culmination of Week Two of our summer camps, which focused on nature and exploration. Families, campers, friends, and curious minds of all ages were invited to the school cafeteria—transformed for the day into a pop-up geology and paleontology lab filled with hands-on exhibits, excavation pits, and enough dinosaurs to thrill even the tiniest fossil hunters.
One of the visiting educators from the Burke, June, wore a T-shirt featuring a dino nicknamed “Suciasaurus rex,” Washington’s very own dinosaur. In 2012, Burke paleontologists discovered the state’s first and only dinosaur fossil, a partial thigh bone, at Sucia Island State Park. The Burke team brought a replica of that fossil to the exhibit, letting participants touch a piece of Pacific Northwest history (and dinosaur legend!).

Kids dug up replica fossils like ammonites and a T-rex jaw in “sandboxes”, traced shadows of prehistoric creatures, and immersed themselves in the world of minerals, rocks, and ancient life. Lopez’s youngest learners came armed with Dino T-shirts, toys, and stuffies, ready for action. As for parents and grandparents? They were just as enchanted.

“I wish your brother and sister could have been here. They would have loved this,” one parent said, while another shared: “Our kids aren’t really old enough to last more than 30 minutes in a museum. Making the trip to Seattle, paying admission, it’s a lot. Thank you for bringing this here.”

And that’s why we do it. When asked, only about a quarter of our elementary campers had ever been to the Burke Museum. The Dig In! visit gave every child a chance to connect with science in a way that was fun, accessible, and right here at home.

Special thanks go to the incredible Burke educators Annica and June for making the journey to Lopez; to the Lopez School for hosting; to our teen volunteers for welcoming guests and making signs; to the Lopez Library team for curating dino-themed book table; and to both our private donor and the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant that helped bring this opportunity to life.

The week may have ended, but the questions, curiosity, and dinosaur dreams will certainly remain for years to come. 

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