Texas Archeology Fair

The Texas Archeology Fair takes over the Texas Science & Natural History Museum on Saturday, September 26, from 10 AM to 3 PM. It's a family-friendly day that marks Texas Archeology Month, and it's free to get in.

There will be more than 20 booths from organizations like the Texas Historical Commission, the Texas Archeological Society, the Gault School, and various museums. Each one brings its own hands-on activities, demonstrations, and exhibits led by archaeologists and partner organizations. The whole thing is built around asking questions of the experts on site, so you can walk up and talk to the people who actually do this for a living.

State Archaeologist Brad Jones says the evidence shows humans have been in the region for at least 16,000 years, and the fair leans into that deep past. A good part of the day is spent on the difference between archaeology—the study of people and what they do—and paleontology—the study of non-human fossils. From there, it connects Texas fossils to the people who once encountered animals like mammoths and giant ground sloths.

The venue adds its own weight to the mix. The Texas Science & Natural History Museum at The University of Texas at Austin has been home to significant discoveries since 1939, including skeletons recovered during the Statewide Paleontological and Mineralogical Survey conducted by the Work Projects Administration between 1939 and 1941. These days, it houses 113-million-year-old dinosaur trackways. The fair runs from 10 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, September 26, at 2400 Trinity in Austin, and admission is free.