The Schiele Museum Paleo Project
Bringing Dinosaurs Back to Life in Gastonia, NC
A DINOMITE New Dinosaur Experience Is Coming!
The Schiele Museum of Natural History is building something BIG… like T-Rex-big.
The Paleo Project is creating the brand-new Elizabeth Williams Robinson Hall of Dinosaurs, an immersive exhibit that will transport visitors millions of years into the past and spark curiosity for generations to come.
What Is the Paleo Project?
The Paleo Project is the Schiele Museum’s exciting campaign to design and build a 4,200-square-foot Hall of Dinosaurs, one of the largest dinosaur exhibits in the Carolinas.
This exhibit will feature:
- 14 full-scale dinosaur skeleton casts, including favorites like Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, and Apatosaurus
- Real fossil specimens, including one showing healed injuries from a prehistoric predator encounter
- Interactive learning stations that explain how paleontologists study fossils
- Partnerships with universities and scientific institutions to ensure accuracy and real-world science
This isn’t just about looking at dinosaurs, it’s about learning how we know what we know.
Why This Exhibit Matters
Science You Can Touch
Hands-on exhibits help kids (and grown-ups!) understand paleontology, evolution, and Earth’s history.
Built for All Ages
Perfect for families, school field trips, homeschool groups, and curious minds of every size.
A Carolinas Landmark
This hall will be one of the largest dinosaur exhibits in the region, right here in Gaston County.
Future Paleontologists Welcome
You never know, one museum visit might inspire the next great dinosaur scientist.
When Can You Visit the New Hall of Dinosaurs?
The Elizabeth Williams Robinson Hall of Dinosaurs is anticipated to open in Fall 2026.
The Schiele Museum continues to work behind the scenes to bring this prehistoric vision to life through planning, fundraising, and scientific collaboration. (Translation from Dino-speak: Great things take time.)
However, you can visit the Schiele Museum now!
Located in Gastonia, North Carolina, the Schiele Museum of Natural History is dedicated to inspiring curiosity about science, nature, and history.
In addition to the upcoming dinosaur hall, the museum features:
- Permanent natural history exhibits
- Live animal habitats
- Fossils and minerals
- Native American history
- Nature trails
- A planetarium
It’s a place where learning feels like an adventure and where dinosaurs feel right at home.
Meet a Momma Quetzalcoatlus and Her Hungry Hatchlings
Quetzalcoatlus (ket·suhl·kow·at·luhs) was a giant flying reptile that lived a very long time ago, when dinosaurs still roamed North America.It was HUGE! Quetzalcoatlus was about 25 feet long and had wings that stretched 35 feet across! That’s as wide as a small airplane! It was one of the biggest flying animals ever to soar through the sky.
Be Part of the Prehistoric Adventure
Adopt-A-Dino & Support the Paleo Project
Want to help? You can support the Schiele Museum’s Paleo Project through their Adopt-A-Dino program!
With a minimum donation of $35 to the Paleo Project at the museum admissions desk, you can adopt a dinosaur and take home a ferocious new prehistoric friend, no feeding schedule required!
Dino-Sized Giving Levels & Recognition
Looking to make an even bigger impact? Larger gifts help bring the Hall of Dinosaurs to life in a BIG way:
- Gifts of $100+ will be recognized in a commemorative newsletter
- Gifts of $5,000+ will be listed in a commemorative newsletter and on a donor recognition panel within the exhibit
- Gifts of $20,000 and above may include additional naming opportunities for items within the dinosaur gallery
Feeling extra roar-some?
Additional donations of any amount can be made online to directly support the creation of the new Hall of Dinosaurs:
https://sales.schielemuseum.org/Donation.aspx?C=PHP
Questions About Major Gifts?
For more information about high-level donations or naming opportunities, please contact:
Elysabeth Utick
📞 704-836-0020
📧 Elysabeth.Utick@GastoniaNC.gov
Every gift, big or small, helps spark curiosity, fund science, and inspire future paleontologists.
Flossie says: “It takes a village… and a few dinosaurs.”
Flossie Visits the Schiele Museum!
When Flossie the T-Rex visits the Schiele Museum of Natural History, even dinosaurs feel like kids again.
The Schiele is one of Flossie’s favorite places to learn, explore, and admire how scientists bring prehistoric history to life. From towering dinosaur skeletons to real fossils and hands-on exhibits, this museum shows how curiosity, teamwork, and careful research help us understand the world, past and present.
Flossie especially loves cheering on the Paleo Project, which is creating an incredible new Hall of Dinosaurs for families, students, and future paleontologists to enjoy for years to come.
A Dino-Sized Kindness Reminder
Museums are special places! When you visit (whether you’re human or dinosaur) it’s important to:
- Use gentle hands
- Listen to grown-ups and museum staff
- Share space kindly with other explorers
- Ask questions and stay curious
Big dinosaurs, soft hearts. That’s the Flossie way.
If you see Flossie roaming around the Schiele, don’t worry, she’s just there to learn, smile, and remind everyone that science is more fun when we explore it together.
