Darwin & Dinosaurs

Lesson Plans

Aligned to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

In 2021, D&D engaged teachers to help design and test lesson plans based on D&D for both middle school and high school.

They developed eight new lesson plans based on D&D, including:

Middle School
Did if Fly? (The Quetzalcoatlus)
Is it a Dinosaur? (Dinosaur anatomy)
Mary Anning: The First Great Fossil Hunter
Design a Dinosaur

High School
Blue Eyes (How genes work)
Cladistics
Evidence of Evolution (Scavenger hunt)
Galapagos Tortoises

All lesson plans were tested in multiple classes to work out the bugs and get them ready for general use. All are designed to be used with the virtual 3D model of D&D so students can “re-visit” the exhibit as often as they wish online.

Exhibit Suport

To ensure a successful run, D&D supports its customers with lesson plans, tour scripts and other resources.

Tour Script. A 45 minute script is included which can be tuned to the specific layout of the host exhibit. It provides a framework for tour guides/docents, highlighting important and interesting features of the exhibit and ensuring visitors get the most out of their experience.

Click here to download a pdf of the generic script.

Media Support. In addition to images and logos, D&D curators are happy to meet with local media during setup to help promote the exhibit. D&D staff have appeared on TV shows, conducted onsite interviews and spoken at exhibit openings.

Click here to see a TV interview on a local Fox News station in Florida.

Click here to see an onsite tour of the exhibit.

Comment Box. D&D places a Comment Box at the exhibit exit. After the exhibit, D&D staff tabulate the results and issue a report so that host museums can see how the exhibit was received. (To date – with hundreds of comment cards tabulated – the overall average score is 4.4. out of 5, or 88%.)

Click here to download a pdf of the report on the Jacksonville run.

Report on the Exhibits on Evolution. D&D has never had a problem with visitors challenging evolution or the exhibit and research shows that the vast majority of visitors to natural history museums and science centers already believe in evolution or are open to learning about it.

Click here to download a special report on exhibits on evolution from the Center for the Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE).

Videos

Highlights of the exhibit

A number of professional videos have been made about Darwin & Dinosaurs and the specimens featured in the exhibit.

FAQs

What is the smallest space D&D can fit into?

D&D can fit into 5,000 sq ft. but not with all the dinosaurs. If you have a smaller hall and you would like to know if D&D would work, send us a floor plan and we will create a 3D digital model for you to look at. Free with no obligation. We’re happy to do it.

Has there ever been a problem with visitors because the exhibit is about evolution?

No. D&D has been to several places that are considered to be very conservative (Jacksonville, Kansas City), and has never had a problem. Research shows that the vast majority of visitors to natural history museums and science centers already believe in evolution or are open to learning about it.

Click here to download a special report on exhibits on evolution from the Center for the Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE).

Can D&D be booked outside the United States?

Yes. The prices, however, would be higher to reflect higher shipping and handling charges. If you are interested in hosting D&D outside the U.S., contact us and we can give you a quote. The minimum booking outside the U.S. is six (6) months.

Is D&D available in other languages?

At this time D&D is only available in English (signs, labels, interactives, etc.).

Has D&D been reviewed and approved by experts?

Yes. D&D has been reviewed and approved by a number of internationally recognized experts including Dr. Paul Sereno, Chicago University; Dr. Norman MacLeod, Natural History Museum, London; and Dr. John van Whye, University of Singapore. Numerous other experts have been consulted on specific topics.

Who owns and operates Darwin & Dinosaurs?

D&D is a production of Embedded Exhibitions, a division of Triebold Paleontology, Inc. (trieboldpaleontology.com). TPI is one of the world’s leading paleontology companies which hunts, digs, prepares, casts and mounts dinosaurs and other extinct animals including pterosaurs, fish and marine reptiles. Most of the dinosaurs in D&D were found, cast and mounted by TPI.

Click here to see the TPI client list.

Does Embedded Exhibitions offer other traveling exhibits?

Yes: Savage Ancient Seas (SAS) which focuses on marine life during the Late Cretaceous Period.

Embedded exhibitions offers only two traveling exhibits (D&D and SAS) based on their own discoveries. Both are deep, interactive experiences designed to encourage visitors to explore, discover and learn.

Is D&D really fixed-cost? Are there any other costs?

There are no other costs. The monthly rental is the only charge. Period.

Who creates the content for D&D Interactives?

D&D creates all of its own digital content and secures the appropriate permissions to use copyrighted images where needed.

Can I buy the interactives for my museum or science center?

Yes, you can. D&D interactives can be purchased individually. You can also buy the Hungry Birds game.

Click here to s ee pricing for the interactives and Hungry Birds.

Visitor Feedback

D&D places a comment box at the exit of the exhibit to get feedback from visitors. Hundreds of visitors have completed the cards and the results speak for themselves: The overall average score is 4.4 of 5.

The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) in Jacksonville, Florida, hosted the Darwin & Dinosaurs exhibit from May 27, 2016 to September 5, 2016.

A net 127 cards contained usable visitor feedback. This equates to approximately 2.6 cards per day (for the 48 days the box was in place).

There were a total of ten (10) statements on the Comment Card, with a rating scale of one to five, with five being the highest (agree the most).

The overall average score was 4.4 out of 5, or 88%. All statements averaged >4.

Table 1: Questions & Scores

	Question	Responses	Avg Score
1	I found the exhibit educational	124	4.4
2	I liked the touchscreens	124	4.4
3	I like the Hungry Birds game	116	4.5
4	I would recommend D&D	116	4.1
5	I would recommend the MOSH	123	4.6
6	I would come back again	122	4.5
7	The exhibit was fun & engaging	121	4.3
8	I learned a lot about evolution	118	4.1
9	My kids loved it	90	4.2
10	I hope the MOSH has more exhibits like this.	117	4.3
	All	1,171	4.4

Note that not all questions were rated on all cards. For example, in many cases question #9 was not scored because the visitor was an adult without children present.

The full report can be downloaded here.

Pricing

Pricing for Darwin & Dinosaurs is very simple.*

For the first three months it is $75,000/month (3 month minimum)
For the next three months it is $50,000/month
For the every month thereafter it is $25,000/month

For example, six months would be $375,000, or $62,500/month. Nine months would be $450,000 or $50,000/month.

There are no other costs. There are no shipping costs. No setup or strike costs. No expenses for our staff. No other charges period.

20% down is required to reserve a spot. The balance is due 60 days before set up.

Call us at 888-600-5054

*These prices apply to the U.S. only. Higher prices apply to international destinations.

Exhibit Guide

Brandable, Customizable

D&D provides a number of important resources to help make the exhibit a success including a richly illustrated, brandable/customizable Exhibit Guide.

Below are sample pages from the D&D Exhibit Guide. Host venues can brand the Guide with their logo and even design a unique cover. Perfect for VIP events and/or to sell in the gift shop.

You can download the full pdf here. This is for review only. This guide is copyrighted. You cannot print or distribute this document without the permission of Darwin & Dinosaurs.

The Guide has been reviewed and approved by three international experts: Dr. Paul Sereno, University of Chicago; Dr. Norman Macleod, Natural History Museum, London; and Dr. John van Wyhe, University of Singapore.

Accessibility

From shelf height to signs to the interactives, D&D is designed with accessibility in mind and follows the Smithsonian Guidelines for Accessible Exhibition Design.