CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES EXPLORE THE DINOSAURS OF THE HELL CREEK FORMATION AT RUTH MASON QUARRY

Among the South Dakota prairie grass and pockets of heavily eroded badlands is the field site of the Ruth Mason Quarry. This site in the Late Cretaceous rocks of the Hell Creek Formation is primarily monospecific, almost every fossil recovered within the bone horizon is from an Edmontosaurus. However there is also the scattered evidence of theropods. The occasional serrated shine of Tyrannosaur teeth may be spotted among the disarticulated duck-billed dinosaur bones.

It’s a site that is well suited for science education – the bones are sturdy and the mudstone matrix is soft. For well over a decade The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has excavated this locality, bringing children as young as 8 years old and their families to unearth and study the fossils buried there. Families learn about site safety, the natural history of the area, scientific excavation techniques, and detailed mapping and cataloguing in the field. They learn the tools, techniques and documentation needed to make the excavation a successful one.

The Ruth Mason Quarry has a noteworthy history - from its discovery in the 1920s and subsequent excavations by commercial, museum and university paleontologists. Since 2003 it has been the primary site for The Children’s Museum, and well over 1000 people have participated in excavations at this quarry and outdoor classroom. Whether a small child who laughingly roars at the mention of T. rex, or an adult who has always been fascinated by ancient creatures, a few days working at a real dinosaur dig site can have a profound impact on a person’s interest in science - and also makes for a pretty cool family vacation.