Prehistoric Fight Nights
Date
Friday, February 20, 2026 (Dino Night)
Saturday, February 21, 2026 (Ice Age Night)
5:30–9 pm
Location
Tickets
$15 General Admission
$10 Members
Prehistoric Fight Nights
It’s the ultimate museum question that’s been on the mind of every dinosaur and Ice Age mammal fanatic, from kids to grown-ups, as they gaze upon the lifesize fossils of two ancient titans: Who would win in a fight?! We all have our ideas, but who would the experts put their money on?
Join Rextooth Studios’ Ted Rechlin, award-winning graphic-novelist, animator, film-maker and science communicator, as he goes head to head with experts from NHM and La Brea Tar Pits over two nights to battle it out and crown the toughest champions of each prehistoric era. On the first night, we’ll travel to the Mesozoic for a colossal rumble among the dinosaurs, and on night two we’ll take a trip to the Pleistocene for an epic Ice Age brawl. Both evenings will also include getting up-close to rarely seen fossils from both museums’ collections, a book signing by Ted Rechlin, interactive activities, and more.
Upcoming Events:
Join Rextooth Studios’ Ted Rechlin, award-winning graphic-novelist, animator, film-maker and science communicator, as he goes head to head with experts from NHM to battle it out and crown the toughest champion from the Mesozoic era!
Join Ted Rechlin, award-winning graphic-novelist, animator, film-maker and science communicator, as he goes head to head with experts from La Brea Tar Pits to determine the ultimate Pleistocene Ice Age mammal GOAT!
Schedule Overview
Exhibitor Tables | 5:30–7 pm | NHM Commons Lobby
- Friday: Battle of the Dinosaurs
- NHM Dino Institute: Meet the people who discover, recover and research dinosaur fossils for the Dinosaur Institute.
- NHM Event Network: Purchase dinosaur or Ice Age books from Rextooth Studios!
- Saturday: Ice Age Brawl
- La Brea Tar Pits Collection: Meet the staff who work with fossils of animals and plants recovered from the La Brea Tar Pits that are ~10,000–55,000 years old.
- Vertebrate Paleontology: View the paleontological collections of animals with a backbone and meet the staff that care for these specimens.
- NHM Event Network: Purchase dinosaur or Ice Age books from Rextooth Studios!
Activities | 5:30–7 pm | NHM Commons Lobby
Prehistoric Fight Night | 7 pm | NHM Commons Theater
Join Rextooth Studios’ Ted Rechlin, award-winning graphic-novelist, animator, film-maker and science communicator, as he goes head to head with experts from NHM and La Brea Tar Pits.
- On night one, join Ted and NHM experts as they battle it out to crown the toughest champion from the Mesozoic era!
- Join Ted again on night two, as he goes head to head with experts from La Brea Tar Pits to determine the ultimate Ice Age mammal GOAT!
Book Signing and Meet & Greet with Ted Rechlin | 8 pm
Stick around after the program and get your books signed by award-winning graphic-novelist, animator, film-maker and science communicator Ted Rechlin. Guests can purchase a Ted Rechlin book in the ticket checkout (while supplies last).
About Rextooth Studios
The Earth is four and a half billion years old. Complex life developed 580 million years ago. In that time our planet has been home to some truly amazing animals and has been the stage for incredible dramas and adventures. Rextooth Studios is a publisher telling stories about the awesome creatures that have called – and still do call – our planet home.
Rextooth does science communication via an award-winning line of books, as well as headlining events, to an audience of thousands, from Chicago, Illinois to Ekalaka, Montana. Combining illustration, animation, and storytelling, Rextooth Studios presents the past like never before.
@rextooth_studios
Meet the Experts
Ted Rechlin, Author and Illustrator
Author and illustrator Ted Rechlin has been drawing pictures and telling stories since he was two years old. While his drawing style has evolved, his stories haven’t really changed much. They’re still about science, nature and lots (AND LOTS) of dinosaurs. Ted is an award-winning graphic-novelist, animator, film-maker and science communicator. He founded Rextooth Studios so he could share his passion for all things natural history and science education.
Ted was the chief story-consultant for the hit film T. REX, from Giant Screen Films, as well as the author/illustrator of the companion graphic novel. Ted and his wife, Annie (editor of Rextooth’s award-winning line!), are also the mad-architects behind the hit program, Prehistoric Fight Night.
Dr. Zachary Morris, Dinosaur Institute Postdoctoral Fellow, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (Dino Night)
Dr. Zachary Morris is a postdoctoral fellow at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County’s Dinosaur Institute who studies the factors generating patterns in the fossil record. His research combines approaches from paleontology, comparative anatomy, and experimental embryology to understand how the skull has been modified across dinosaur evolution. His current work includes describing soft-tissue in the roof of the mouth of tyrannosaurs and early birds and testing the developmental mechanisms generating reptile diversity.
morrisresearch.org
@morris_research
Cullen Townsend, Scientific Artist, Paleo-artist (Dino Night)
Bio: Cullen Townsend is a San Fernando Valley-based artist with a BFA in Illustration from ArtCenter College of Design. He specializes in creating artwork for museum exhibits, scientific communication, and anything pertaining to natural history. With experience in painting, drawing, sculpting, mold making, and creating 3D assets, he looks forward to helping bring ideas to life. His artwork can currently be found at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and the George C. Page Museum.
@cullen_townsend
Sean Campbell, Senior Fossil Preparator, La Brea Tar Pits (Ice Age Night)
Sean Campbell is a senior fossil preparator at La Brea Tar Pits. Sean works with a team of staff and volunteers to expose and measure fossils dating from the end Pleistocene primarily between 30,000 to 50,000 years old. Sean has dug up ancient mammal and dinosaur fossils in California, North Dakota, Utah, New Mexico, Mexico, Peru and Argentina. He has worked at La Brea as an excavator for 12 years.
Tony Turner, Museum Educator, NHMLAC and La Brea Tar Pits (Ice Age Night)
Tony Turner (He/Him) is a Museum Educator passionate about paleontology, nature, and human storytelling. His enthusiasm has taken him to a variety of locales, like the badlands of Utah to dig up Gnatalie, our newest dinosaur on display, and the halls of Comic-Con to rant about science and pop culture.
