Tiny Titans – Kansas Children's Discovery Center

Discovery Center open Memorial Day for final day of Tiny Titans

The Kansas Children’s Discovery Center will be open for special holiday hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Memorial Day, May 30, 2022, to celebrate the final day of its Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies exhibit. This will be your last chance to experience the exhibit before it is packed up and shipped out.

This remarkable, hands-on exhibition offers an astounding array of authentic dinosaur eggs and nests collected from all across the globe, in addition to great hands-on play experiences! Kids can dig for eggs, dress up like a parent dinosaur to brood their nest and feel the texture of dinosaur eggs. Cute babies and fun dinosaur facts will keep the whole family playing and learning.

Regular admission applies, which is $9 for children and adults, $8 for seniors and free for infants under 12 months and Discovery Center members. Admission also lets you play all day at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, with more than 15,000 square feet of indoor educational exhibits exploring science, careers, art, building and more, plus a 4.5-acre certified Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom.

Tiny Titans is part of Topeka Dino Days, a communitywide dinosaur exhibition that includes Dinosaurs Alive at the nearby Topeka Zoo (open through June 30) and Sue: The T-Rex Experience at the Great Overland Station (now closed). It also includes the Topeka Dino Days Base Camp at the Topeka Visitors Center, which closes on Memorial Day, as well.

The exhibit has been a great attraction for the Discovery Center, and was vital in helping attract a record single-day attendance of 1,152 visitors on March 17, 2022, during Topeka’s spring break week.

Tiny Titans is generously sponsored by the Topeka Lodging Association and Visit Topeka.

RELATED: Find out about the different families of dinosaurs on display at the Discovery Center here.

Find out what made ‘Baby Louie’ so special in Tiny Titans!

Kids can dig for eggs, dress up like a parent dinosaur to brood their nest, and feel the texture of dinosaur eggs. Cute babies and fun dinosaur facts will keep the whole family playing and learning. The exhibit is divided into four sections based on the different families of dinosaurs: Ceratopsians, Sauropods, Theropods and Ornithopods, with some special featured dinosaurs within the exhibits, as well. Each space provides visitors with a bevy of interesting information and activities about that particular type of dinosaur.

Who Was ‘Baby Louie?’

One of the features in the Theropod section is called “Baby Louie” and is an embryo of a giant oviraptor found in China.

• The embryo was classified as a new species of dinosaur called “Beibeilong sinensis,” meaning “Baby Dragon From China.”

• Adults could weigh more than one ton, the same as a small car.

• It was similar to a gigantoraptor.

• Beibeilong sinensis is the largest brooding dinosaur known to date.

What do kids learn about ‘Baby Louie?’

• Learn about other eggs in the nest that contained unhatched embryos, as well.

• Find out how paleontologist Charlie Magovern spent more than 700 hours working to clear away rock from the skeleton.

• See a model of what “Baby Louie” looked like inside the egg.

MORE DINO INFO: Find out more about the Ceratopsians here.

Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies is a traveling exhibit series created by Silver Plume Exhibitions and featuring artwork from Luis V. Rey and Mark Hallet, as well as stunning photography by Louie Pshioyos. The exhibit is generously sponsored locally by the Topeka Lodging Association and Visit Topeka, Inc. Tiny Titans will be on display at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center from February 24 to May 30, 2022, and is included in regular admission.

Unraveling the Enigma of Therizinosaurs at Tiny Titans!

What are Therizinosaurs?

One of the features in the Theropod section is called The Enigma and focuses on Therizinosaurs, a subgroup of Theropods that likely ate plants and didn’t quite fit the mold of a typical Theropod. They had big bellies and short legs, probably walking on their hind legs, with huge claws on their forelimbs that earned them the nickname of the “Edward Scissorhands Dinosaur.” However, the claws were not sharp and were probably used in foraging and grasping plant material.

• Therizinosaurs were generally large, waddling creatures that laid relatively tiny eggs.

• They could reach sizes well over 1 ton.

• Their eggs could fit in the palm of your hand.

What do kids learn about Therizinosaurs?

• Learn about how their tiny, leaf-shaped teeth compared to other primitive dinosaurs.

• Learn how paleo-technician Terry Manning used acid to remove the outer layer of a fossilized egg shell.

• Find out why this dinosaur is so puzzling to paleontologists.

MORE DINO INFO: Find out more about the Ceratopsians here.

Handmade dinosaur play table adds splash of color, fun for Topeka Dino Days

From left, Maya Beyer and Draque Carver show off a dinosaur table that they collaborated on creating for the main floor of the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center for Topeka Dino Days and the unveiling of the Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies exhibit at the Discovery Center.

It’s been just over a month since Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies opened at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, and the response has been terrific!

Along with the exhibit, which is located in the multimedia gallery, several new dino-themed features were added to the main floor of the Discovery Center, as well. One of those additions – a long, wooden table with a built-in landscape and a painted mural as the background – was created by a pair of employees with a flair for artistic expression.

Maya Beyer, a part-time gallery assistant and student at Johnson County Community College, teamed up with Draque Carver, who has worked for the Discovery Center since 2014 as the exhibit and facilities maintenance manager, to create the popular attraction.

Beyer was commissioned by the Discovery Center to paint the mural, a process that took between 16 and 20 hours to complete. Carver then created the table out of wood and built a colorful landscape for the dinosaur toys to stomp around on.

“I was so thrilled when KCDC asked me to paint for them,” Beyer said. “It’s an honor to have my work featured in the museum. My mural is a landscape that guests can interact with.”

According to Dr. Rachel E. White, playing with objects such as toy dinosaurs gives children a chance to practice both fine and gross motor skills, depending on the size of the objects. It also contributes to cognitive development, including learning about the nature of objects, problem-solving, creativity and foundational skills for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The table is located near the art pavilion at the back of the Discovery Center.

Exploring the Ornithopods in Tiny Titans!

Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies, open until May 30, 2022, at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, is an interactive exhibition that offers an astounding array of authentic dinosaur eggs and nests collected from all across the globe, in addition to great hands-on play experiences! Kids can dig for eggs, dress up like a parent dinosaur to brood their nest, and feel the texture of dinosaur eggs. Cute babies and fun dinosaur facts will keep the whole family playing and learning. The exhibit is divided into four sections based on the different families of dinosaurs: Ceratopsians, Sauropods, Theropods and Ornithopods. Each space provides visitors with a bevy of interesting information and activities about that particular type of dinosaur.

Discovery Center sets single-day attendance record

The Kansas Children’s Discovery Center announced today the museum set a single-day attendance record on Thursday, March 17, 2022, with a total of 1,152 visitors. The previous single-day attendance record was set on June 20, 2019.

A number of factors contributed to the record-breaking attendance. The museum is one of the three major Topeka Dino Days venues and is hosting the Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies exhibition from Feb. 24 to May 30, 2022. Tiny Titans is sponsored by Visit Topeka and the Topeka Lodging Association and has been a major attraction for regional spring break visitors. Tiny Titans is a hands-on exhibition offering an array of authentic dinosaur eggs and nests collected from all across the globe, in addition to interactive play experiences.

Exploring the Sauropods in Tiny Titans!

What are Sauropods?

Sauropod (SAWR-o-pod) means “Lizard Footed” and is made up of a herbivorous group of long-necked dinosaurs that had small heads with a small brain and long tail.

• Sauropods were the physically largest group of dinosaurs.

• Sauropods were probably precocial — meaning they were ready to fend for themselves when they hatched. There are a few likely reasons for this: parents were enormous compared to their babies and it would have been hard for parents to see them.

• Tracks show juveniles were half-grown before they joined the herd.

What can kids do at the Sauropod section in Tiny Titans?

• Dig for Sauropod eggs in a Dino Dig pit.

• See real fossilized Sauropod eggs.

• See and touch egg structure models of Sauropod eggs and see how the baby dinosaurs fit inside the eggs.

• See a magnified view of Titanosaur embryo skin.

• See a magnified view of a Sauropod eggshell.

• Compare dinosaur eggs to modern bird eggs, such as chicken, ostrich and hummingbird eggs.

What do kids learn at the Ceratopsian section in Tiny Titans?

• Some Sauropod eggs, like those found in the Patagonian Desert, had thick shells, while other Sauropod eggs found in France, Argentina and India had thin shells. The exhibit shows eggs of varying shapes and sizes. When children compare and contrast they are learning to observe, classify and describe objects — all critical skills for learning science and math.

• The exhibit’s touchable fossil replicas and dig pits let children use their sense of touch to explore. Sensory play that lets children touch, squeeze, smell and feel helps build connections in the brain.

• Which came first: the dinosaur or the egg? Find out at Tiny Titans!

• Sauropods grew to huge sizes during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. One species, the Argentinosaurus, grew up to 130 feet in length and is considered the longest and heaviest land animal of all time.

• Sauropods have been found on every continent, including Antarctica.

MORE DINO INFO: Find out more about the Theropods here.

Exploring the Ceratopsians in Tiny Titans

What are Ceratopsians?

Ceratopsian means “horned face” and refers to a herbivorous group of dinosaurs who were famous for the ornate horns on their faces and frills protecting their necks. The most well-known of the group is Triceratops, with three horns on their face.

• They were gregarious animals that lived together in herds or flocks.

• “Hatching the Past” features two types of Ceratopsians. Psittacosaurus, which are the earliest known Ceratopsians with no frill and only small horns (jugal horns) protruding from their jaw, and Protoceratops, which has a frill and jugal horns but no facial horns.

What can kids do at the Ceratopsian section in Tiny Titans?

• Interact with a life-sized baby Triceratops.

• See fossilized eggs and skeletons of Psittacosaurus and Protoceratops.

• Find out how Ceratopsians took care of their young.

• Use toy dinosaurs to stomp around the terrain in the Jurassic Play Land.

What do kids learn at the Ceratopsian section in Tiny Titans?

• Protoceratops laid soft-shelled eggs, similar to turtles, which is why they didn’t fossilize well.

• Psittacosaurs had self-sharpening teeth for cropping and slicing tough plant material.

• Triceratops and other Ceratopsians lived in family groups and may have protected their young like elephants do today.

• Earlier Ceratopsians swallowed stones called gastroliths to help wear down food as it passed through their digestive system.

MORE DINO INFO: Find out more about the Sauropods here.

Tiny Titans Opens at the Discovery Center!

Something big has hatched at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center!

Topeka’s nonprofit children’s museum opened its newest exhibit, Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies, to the public on Feb. 24 with a morning reception featuring local community stakeholders and donors, including the exhibit’s two generous sponsors, the Topeka Lodging Association and Visit Topeka. Traveling exhibits like Tiny Titans are possible only with the support of generous community sponsors.

The opening reception featured a banner unveiling led by exhibit sponsors. Excited visitors of all ages counted down to the unveiling and welcomed the opening with a giant dinosaur roar led by Discovery Center president/CEO Dene’ Mosier.

Also in attendance for the opening reception were Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Rogers, Topeka City Councilman Spencer Duncan, Matt Pivarnik from the Greater Topeka Partnership and other team members on the Topeka Dino Days campaign, including representatives from the Topeka Zoo, cohort.digital and Sprout Creative.

This remarkable, interactive exhibition offers an astounding array of authentic dinosaur eggs and nests collected from all across the globe, in addition to great hands-on play experiences! Kids can dig for eggs, dress up like a parent dinosaur to brood their nest, and feel the texture of dinosaur eggs. Cute babies and fun dinosaur facts will keep the whole family playing and learning.

Tiny Titans includes:

Real eggs and nests
Touchable replica eggs from each dinosaur group
A dress-up area with Oviraptor nests and costumes
A reading area
Touchable fossil leg bone
Build-a-bone puzzle
Dig pits
Jurassic Play Land
Photographs and artwork of dinosaurs with informative panels
Embryo sculptures for each dinosaur group
A life-sized, interactive baby triceratops sculpture

Tiny Titans is a part of the four-month-long, community-wide Topeka Dino Days celebration, which includes other dinosaur-themed exhibits from across the city: SUE: The T-Rex Experience at the Great Overland Station, open Feb. 4 to May 1, 2022; Topeka Dino Days Base Camp at the Downtown Topeka Visitors Center, open Feb. 24 to May 30, 2022; and Dinosaurs Alive! at the Topeka Zoo, open March 10 to June 30. Several businesses around town have also offered specials, merchandise and events to help celebrate Topeka Dino Days.