Prehistoric Fight Night
Date
Friday, August 21, 2026
5:30–10 pm
Location
Prehistoric Fight Night
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 life-size 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 museum experts to battle it out and crown the toughest champions of each prehistoric era. We’ll take a trip to the Pleistocene for an epic Ice Age brawl then travel back to the Mesozoic for a colossal rumble among the dinosaurs. The evening will also include getting up-close to rarely seen fossils from the museum's collections, a book signing by Ted Rechlin, interactive activities, and more.
Schedule Overview
5:30–7 pm
- Museum Collections: Get up close to real fossils from our collections and chat with our Museum scientists.
- NHM Event Network: Purchase dinosaur or Ice Age books from Rextooth Studios!
- Commons Cafe: Enjoy a beverage or a light snack before the program begins from South LA Cafe.
- Dinosaur Hall: Explore our world famous Dinosaur Hall after hours, including our T. rex growth series.
- Activity–Choose Your Fighter Pin: Who do you think will reign victorious? Create your own button to support your favorite champion.
7 pm | Ice Age Brawl!
Join Ted Rechlin, award-winning graphic-novelist, animator, film-maker and science communicator, as he goes head to head with experts from the La Brea Tar Pits to determine which Ice Age mammal was the ultimate Pleistocene GOAT!
7:50 pm | Break
8 pm | Battle of the Dinosaurs!
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!
9 pm | Book Signing and Meet & Greet with Ted Rechlin
Stick around after the program and get your books signed by award-winning graphic-novelist, animator, film-maker and science communicator, Ted Rechlin. You’ll also receive a special keepsake from our friends from Nova Community Arts.
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.
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.
Mairin Balisi, Augustyn Family Curator, Alf Museum of Paleontology (Ice Age program)
Dr. Mairin Balisi reconstructs the lives of ancient carnivores as the Augustyn Family Curator at the Alf Museum of Paleontology in Claremont. An expert on extinct mammals, she decodes how fossil predators – from bone-crushing dogs to saber-toothed cats – co-existed and competed. She met her first dire wolf skeleton in a college class nearly two decades ago; she then visited the La Brea Tar Pits and has been stuck in Ice Age asphalt ever since.
Tony Turner, Science Communicator, Cosplay for Science (Ice Age program)
Tony Turner (He/Him) is an educator who's 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, NHM's newest dinosaur on display, and to the halls of Comic-Con to rant about science and pop culture.
Dr. Zachary Morris, Dinosaur Institute Postdoctoral Fellow, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (Dinosaur program)
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 (Dinosaur program)
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
