The Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station is located in the rich land mass of Northeastern Montana, where some of the world’s best preserved dinosaur fossils have been discovered. The Museum provides the opportunity for both youth and adults to learn, explore, dig, and excavate fossils with Museum staff and paleontologist partners at onsite dig programs and other educational programs.
Both the adult and junior field programs take place in the Judith River Formation, renowned for being the location where, in 1855, the very first dinosaur fossil in the western United States was discovered. The early American paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope led expeditions to this area in the 19th century and since then, a dizzying array of all kinds of prehistoric life has been discovered here. Amazing and new dinosaur discoveries continue to be reported from Northeast Montana all the time, even after 160 years of exploration!
Now, nearly 80 million years after these ancient ecosystems thrived, the formation continues to deliver remarkable finds, from horned and duck-billed dinosaurs to crocodiles, turtles, mammals, and plants, all preserved in what were once vibrant river and coastal landscapes.
Malta Montana 1-day: June 18, June 19, June 27m July 9, July 10
Ages: 6-15 (must be accompanied by an adult; adults do not pay)
Cost: $125
This one-day junior paleontologist experience takes kids to an active hadrosaur fossil site in the Montana badlands — then into the museum's fossil prep lab to clean and study actual specimens alongside paleontologists.
Gilford, MT July 13-15, July 13-17, June 24-26
Ages: 12+ (must be accompanied by an adult of 18 years or more)
3-day Cost: $750
5-day Cost: $1200
Dig in a fossil quarry in the Judith River Formation, where more than a dozen fossil species have already been identified, including five dinosaur species. Dating to about 77–75 million years ago, this newly discovered site was found in 2025, and work has only just begun. Set within an easily accessible area of roughly 7,000 square feet, it has already yielded turtles, fish, and at least four different dinosaur species. That rare diversity could unlock vital clues about the ancient ecosystem and the animals that once lived there.
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