By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
Dinosaur George brought his traveling museum to the Del Rio Civic Center Saturday, showcasing over 150 pieces to the public.
George Blasing, who is more well known by his colorful moniker “Dinosaur George”, is a dinosaur expert and public speaker traveling with his San Antonio-based company across the state showcasing unique fossils and items.
Dinosaur George’s traveling museum included a variety of unique attractions from a giant Tyrannosaurus Rex skull to fossils of small prehistoric sea creatures.
The Whitehead Memorial Museum, and the event’s sponsors, has partnered with Blasing to help bring his exhibits here for the community and schools to experience.
Blasing has worked with the Whitehead for 15 years as an educational performer in person and through Zoom presentations, and 2017 was the first year his traveling museum visited Del Rio. Blasing said his exhibits help introduce and educate people about specific fossils of animals they may not be familiar with.
“I focus on very rare, unique and odd fossils,” Blasing said. “This is so that people can leave understanding there were so many animals than just the normal ones you see in other museums.”
Blasing said he has a great relationship with the Whitehead because they focus on Children’s education. Schools were invited on Thursday and Friday to see the museum and get a presentation about the details and history of the fossils introduced.
Michael Diaz, director of the Whitehead Memorial Museum, said they had a great turnout with 1,300 students, in kindergarten through second grade, showing up for both days. He said teachers were able to take their students around the museum and ask them questions about what they learned.
Kids were given a scavenger hunt on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as a fun activity to take part while visiting the museum.
Sylas Rodriguez went with his mom Sarah Rodriguez to see the museum for the first time on Saturday. Sylas said he was learning a lot about dinosaurs through the scavenger hunt. Austin Gabriel Lemarr, third grade student, said he went to the museum with his school on Friday and learned a lot about the different dinosaurs that lived in Texas.
Blasing said he started his traveling museum 13 years ago, and May will be celebrating its 13 anniversary. He said one of the major benefits to his museum is to bring these special attractions to people who don’t get the chance to see dinosaur fossils.
“We go to a lot of these small communities, and some kids have never been to a museum, and I have seen kids cry because they are so overwhelmed, and I have seen kids walk in and name things without reading signs. I see such a great response, and it’s the most rewarding part,” Blasing said.
Blasing’s museum, the Dinosaur George Museum and Gift Shop, is located in Traders Village at 9333 SW Loop 410. The Dinosaur George Museum will have a skeleton of a teenage T. Rex presented on Memorial Day weekend.
