THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Turn curious kids into junior paleontologists with a one-hour Family Dig at the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs. Learn real excavation techniques, jacket replica fossils, and take home a mammoth tooth—museum admission required separately.
Turn curious kids into junior paleontologists with a one-hour Family Dig at the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs. Learn real excavation techniques, jacket replica fossils, and take home a mammoth tooth—museum admission required separately.
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Operated by Mammoth Site · Hot Springs, South Dakota
Family Dig at the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, South Dakota, is a hands-on paleontology class that turns families into field researchers for an hour. Located at 1800 U.S. 18 Hot Springs, SD 57747, the program places participants on a simulated dig designed to mimic the Museum’s famous bonebed. Led by a qualified instructor, small family groups learn excavation techniques, practice jacketing replica fossils, and craft a take-home replica mammoth tooth—an ideal souvenir for budding scientists.
What you'll do is tactile and deliberate: map a grid, use trowels and brushes, uncover plastered replicas, and record finds. The site echoes the Pleistocene story of this landscape—sinkhole geology preserved a cluster of megafauna bones for tens of thousands of years—so the lessons here are grounded in real science. The Family Dig highlights include hands-on excavation, demonstrations of preservation methods, and guided interpretation about how fossils inform our understanding of climate change and extinction.
This experience is especially well suited to families with curious children. At least one parent/guardian is required per family, with a maximum of 6 participants per reservation. Museum admission is not included; bring your admission confirmation to check in. The meeting point is the Museum entrance at 1800 U.S. 18 Hot Springs, SD 57747. Sessions typically run one hour, making it a compact addition to a day exploring central South Dakota’s badlands and historic Hot Springs downtown.
Participants can pair the dig with a visit to the onsite museum displays that preserve ongoing discoveries, creating a layered day of learning. The site’s education staff adapt instruction for different ages, emphasizing technique, documentation, and the ethics of excavation. Photographers should plan for bright open light on the dig pad and bring a kneeling pad for prolonged work. Groups with mobility concerns should contact the Museum ahead of time to discuss accommodations and parking near the entrance.
Why book it? The Mammoth Site is one of the few active paleontological sites that interpret recent excavations for the public. That proximity to an active bonebed, combined with trained staff and replica materials, gives young learners an authentic sense of what field science looks and feels like—without risking real specimens. For visitors curious about geology, ice-age fauna, or museum education, this program converts abstract displays into practiced skills.
Practical notes: wear closed-toe shoes and sun protection; expect light dust and kneeling. Purchase museum admission separately and arrive a few minutes early to present your confirmation. Reservations are limited; family slots fill first during summer months.
Book a Family Dig to let kids handle the tools of discovery, learn how fossils are found and preserved, and walk away with a small piece of prehistory—a plaster tooth and a fresh memory of science in action.
easy.
1 hour.
Light physical activity: kneeling, brushing, basic digging. Suitable for children with adult supervision.
Yes. Museum admission is not included with the Family Dig program; bring your admission confirmation to check in at the Museum entrance.
The program is designed for families; at least one parent/guardian is required per family. Check with the Museum for specific age recommendations for very young children.
Reservations allow a maximum of 6 participants per booking to keep group sizes small and instructional quality high.
Sessions typically run one hour, making the program a compact, hands-on addition to a full museum visit.
No—replica fossils and plaster jackets are used for the hands-on Family Dig to protect real specimens while teaching field techniques.
Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting dusty. Sun protection is recommended for the outdoor dig pad.
The Mammoth Site interprets a Pleistocene sinkhole where megafauna were preserved; the site provides direct insight into Ice Age ecosystems.
Programs use replica materials for hands-on learning to protect real specimens; visitors are asked not to collect fossils and to follow Museum guidance.
Mammoth Site in Milwaukee, Wisconsin preserves and interprets Ice Age fossils and offers educational experiences centered on mammoths and prehistoric life. The facility provides self-guided General Admission tours that use QR codes for layered interpretation, an Exhibit Hall showcasing fossil material, and a visible Fossil Lab where technicians prepare and study specimens. Visitors can observe real fossil preparation work and learn how paleontology methods bring ancient remains to life. In addition to exhibit spaces, Mammoth Site runs family-focused programs that emphasize hands-on learning. The Family Dig lets participants excavate replica fossils, practice excavation techniques used by paleontologists, and leave with a mammoth tooth souvenir. The Family Ice Age Hunt introduces participants to prehistoric hunting tools and atlatl demonstrations, combining discovery of early human technology with guided practice sessions. These formats are designed for families, school groups, and anyone interested in Ice Age natural history. Programming at Mammoth Site prioritizes tangible learning through artifacts, demonstrations, and visible laboratory processes. Interpretive signage and QR-code content support self-guided exploration, while structured family experiences provide interactive instruction and take-home learning. Ticketing options include General Admission and specialized family experiences, offering clear choices for different group sizes and interests. By making fossil study and Ice Age stories accessible on-site, Mammoth Site provides transparent scientific interpretation and engaging opportunities to connect with prehistoric life.
Book with Mammoth Site