Dinosaur Provincial Park is more than just a destination to take a holiday.

It is very much a place where thinking minds seek answers to questions posed by incredible paleontological, biological, archaeological and geological resources found here.

Historic connections between science and the park date back over 120 years. Joseph B. Tyrrell’s 1884 survey of the Drumheller region for the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) brought attention to the Red Deer River valley. In 1888 Thomas C. Weston, also with the GSC, was the first person to not just explore, but also publish his findings on the section of the valley that would later become the park. That legacy is carried on today by the activities of dedicated scientists, students and volunteers from both natural and cultural history disciplines. 

Although visitors are most familiar with the research program in the park of the Drumheller-based Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, universities and museums in Canada and around the world have conducted field studies ranging from just a few weeks to multi-year projects.

Here are summaries of recent and archived reports from various agencies and individuals that are ‘making a difference’ to a deeper understanding of this amazing place.