PHILADELPHIA, November 11, 2013

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Do you know that the turkey on the Thanksgiving table is related to a dinosaur? Birds are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs, and families can learn all about these creatures during Dinosaur Days at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The Academy celebrates Dinosaur Days Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 29 through Dec. 1, with fun activities and engaging learning experiences for the whole family. Special shows feature the Academy’s majestic live birds and the Academy’s paleo-illustrator Jason Poole, who will demonstrate how an artist makes dinosaurs come to life.

Visitors will get to talk turkey with the Academy’s dinosaur experts, touch real fossils, meet live animals as they roam the halls with their handlers, and make a dinosaur finger puppet and turkey holiday craft to take home. Technicians in Dinosaur Hall’s Fossil Prep Lab will be on hand to answer questions about the latest fossils being cleaned and prepared for study.

The newly opened Dinosaurs Unearthed exhibit featuring more than a dozen moving, roaring, life-size animatronic dinosaurs will be open as well. The exhibit also features full-size Jurassic Period dinosaur skeletons, real fossils and fossil casts, hands-on activities, and the latest stories about dinosaur behavior and appearance.

Dinosaur Days are free with regular museum admission. There is a $5 fee to enter Dinosaurs Unearthed, though three of the moving dinosaurs can be seen in other parts of the museum.

• Live animal shows take place in the auditorium at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day.

• Paleo-illustrator Jason Poole will describe how an artist brings dinosaurs to life at 1 p.m. on Friday and Sunday.

For more details, visit the Academy’s website at ansp.org.

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