Event Description
Join us for a day where science and fantasy meet—and meet a real live wolf-dog hybrid! With popular novels and television shows such as “Game of Thrones ”* featuring dire wolves, dragons, crows, and other farfetched creatures, you might be wondering just how well you can separate fact from fiction. Join us at the Academy to learn what is real and what belongs in a novel.
Ask questions like, “Are dire wolves real?” (You might be very surprised by the answer!) Meet some of the real animals that have inspired the fictional and factual animals of Westeros, including two recently rescued wolf-dog hybrids. See dire wolf specimens, and take a closer look at the ferocious fossils that have inspired dragons. Where do your loyalties lie? Find out with our house sorting game and learn more about the animals that herald your favorite house.
Free for members!
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Auditorium
11 a.m.
Fact or Fiction?
Can porcupines throw their quills? Can opossums hang by their tales? Distinguish fact from fiction during this live animal presentation.
1 p.m.
Meet Live Wolves!
Wolves are amazing creatures. Join us for a presentation on the natural history and conservation needs of modern wolves, presented by Howling Woods Farm. Meet two rescued wolf-dog hybrids!
Howling Woods Farm, located in Jackson, New Jersey, is a 501(c)(3) animal shelter that rescues and places domestic bred wolves, wolfdog hybrids, and northern breeds.
3 p.m.
(Live) Animals of “Game of Thrones”
Meet some live animal representatives of the creatures featured in the TV series and books.
North American Hall
Animals of “Game of Thrones”
Dragons, kraken, and crows—oh my! The animal species that inhabit the world of “Game of Thrones” range from the mythological to the very, very real. See for yourself the sensational specimens from the Academy’s own collections, and hear amazing true tales about the animals that have inspired some of the stories’ greatest myths and legends.
Science Live
The Truth About Dire Wolves
Discover the true history of dire wolves with real fossils and modern wolf specimens. Learn more about your favorite dire wolves from House Stark, and learn what you can do to help wolves in the wild today.
Cart of Curiosity
Meet our Reptiles
If you ever wanted to meet a real dragon, now’s your chance! Be amazed by the scales and tails on the big screen before you come in for a closer look at this interactive cart featuring the snakes, lizards, and turtles that call the Academy home. Meet live reptiles, explore animal artifacts, and try to stump the Academy experts as you learn about the wild world of these cold-blooded creatures.
Make a Dragon Egg
Make and decorate your very own dragon egg and dragonet to take home!
*Based on George R.R. Martin’s series of fantasy novels, A Song of Ice and Fire, the television show Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama television series by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss created for HBO. Martin’s first book in the series is titled A Game of Thrones. |
