Local History Classes Chicago - Pokémon GO but for real: Walking Tour of Fossils in Chicago Loop Skyscrapers

Pokémon GO but for real: Walking Tour of Fossils in Chicago Loop Skyscrapers

with Asa Kaplan

TOP RATED

5.0 | 14 reviews

87 Have Dabbled

Small square me mossy carpet face with kat 2011

ABOUT THIS EVENT

Event Category

Education

Event Overview

Raise your hand if you know that the city of Chicago is surrounded by fossils ... not just in the ground, but up in the buildings .

This interactive walking tour will take Dabblers on a journey through our city in a way they've never seen it before. Walk through the Loop and be prepared to be awestruck-- not by how much the clothes in the window cost, for a change-- but by how many historical, ancient, and magnificent fossils you can find embedded in the sides of the very same buildings you shuffle past everyday.

This class, which is one part history lesson, one part geology crash course and one part paleontological treasure hunt, will give you a thorough rundown on the building of the city of Chicago, and along the way will point out all the best fossils the city has to offer. And *everyone* gets a real Midwestern fossil to take home.

Oh, and of course, water Pokémons aplenty, along the part of our tour that traces the river: Psyducks, Slowbros, and more :)

So change your perspective, slow down for a few hours, and take the time to get to know your prehistoric legacy. We promise it'll forever enrich your experience of this city we already know and love.

* DNAinfo's thinkpiece: http://tinyurl.com/dnainfofossils

* "The Man in the Dinosaur Hat": a 1001 Chicago Afternoons blogpost: http://1001chicago.com/484

What to Bring

Any fossil you'd like identified

Minimum age

All ages welcome

What's Provided

Yes, a handout and a hand lens to use on the tour

What You Can Expect From This Experience

Fossil hunt right downtown
Learn how to spot fossils in the city wherever you are
Learn how earth history shaped Chicago's architecture

Cancellation Policy

Location

There are currently no upcoming dates scheduled for this Dabble. Log in to an account message the host or add to your bucket list to be automatically notified when new dates are posted.

MORE ABOUT YOUR HOST

Asa Kaplan

TOP RATED

Peter Kaplan is ABD in invertebrate paleontology, specializing in the rocks and fossils of the Midwest. He has spent many days on roadsides and in streambeds collecting fossils, and many years doing scholarly research on the fossils he finds. He's got a knack for appreciating both the everyday find and the unusual, and he loves bringing people into a richer understanding of their natural environment. So he's especially excited to take Dabblers on this walking tour of the city which he's done in prior years to some acclaim . . .

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EXPERIENCE REVIEWS

Zach Z.
Reviewed on 10/17/16

Great tour! Learned a lot, great enthusiasm and depth of knowledge.

Great tour! Learned a lot, great enthusiasm and depth of knowledge.
Carla K.
Reviewed on 08/15/16

The tour was educational, interesting, and fun. I saw things I'd never noticed despite walking past them countless times. Who would have thought we could see remnants of eons-old life all around us in downtown Chicago!

The tour was educational, interesting, and fun. I saw things I'd never noticed despite walking past them countless times. Who would have thought we could see remnants of eons-old life all around us in downtown Chicago!
Jennifer K.
Reviewed on 07/18/16

Asa is a great guide. The fossil tour taught us a lot about different types of rocks and fossils, as well as how to date those rocks based on the fossils found inside of them this guided tour is great for all ages. Our 6-year-old loved it. Looking forward to more Dabble events with Asa and his dinosaur hat!

Asa is a great guide. The fossil tour taught us a lot about different types of rocks and fossils, as well as how to date those rocks based on the fossils found inside of them this guided tour is great for all ages. Our 6-year-old loved it. Looking forward to more Dabble events with Asa and his dinosaur hat!
Vladimir B.
Reviewed on 06/21/16

An eye opening perspective of Chicago and earth history from a very intelligent and enthusiastic teacher. Learned amazing insight and detail about everyday buildings and structures that most people are probably oblivious to.

An eye opening perspective of Chicago and earth history from a very intelligent and enthusiastic teacher. Learned amazing insight and detail about everyday buildings and structures that most people are probably oblivious to.
James A.
Reviewed on 05/29/16

Very knowledgeable tour guide with a background in Paleontology. 400 million years of history covered in the building stones of Chicago. He identifies fossil species, shows pictures of how they actually looked, and gives background on how they lived in their environment as well as geological events over time leading up to the present Illinois landscape. Loops are provided for close up looks at the fossils. A diverse group added additional information to the walk. Learned a lot about the hidden history surrounding us in the city.

Very knowledgeable tour guide with a background in Paleontology. 400 million years of history covered in the building stones of Chicago. He identifies fossil species, shows pictures of how they actually looked, and gives background on how they lived in their environment as well as geological events over time leading up to the present Illinois landscape. Loops are provided for close up looks at the fossils. A diverse group added additional information to the walk. Learned a lot about the hidden history surrounding us in the city.
Tom W.
Reviewed on 07/23/15

Terrific class and interesting attendees. Asa was wonderfully knowledgeable as he led us along the Chicago River. Who would ever have thought there were so many fossils lurking in downtown Chicago? Our group had a wide range of participants with various level of knowledge. Asa made everyone feel included and everyone learned—and had fun on a beautiful Chicago day.

Terrific class and interesting attendees. Asa was wonderfully knowledgeable as he led us along the Chicago River. Who would ever have thought there were so many fossils lurking in downtown Chicago? Our group had a wide range of participants with various level of knowledge. Asa made everyone feel included and everyone learned—and had fun on a beautiful Chicago day.
Jeff K.
Reviewed on 07/12/15

Awesome experience. Learned a lot of cool things and met a lot of cool people.

Awesome experience. Learned a lot of cool things and met a lot of cool people.
Lisa F.
Reviewed on 06/01/15

This was a fun and very different tour. Learned that there are fossils all around us here in the buildings of Chicago! Very knowledgable guide!

This was a fun and very different tour. Learned that there are fossils all around us here in the buildings of Chicago! Very knowledgable guide!
Chase W.
Reviewed on 10/25/14

This was a great tour! Asa is a knowledgeable, patient and friendly tour guide. This really opened my eyes to the geology of Chicago!

This was a great tour! Asa is a knowledgeable, patient and friendly tour guide. This really opened my eyes to the geology of Chicago!
Ben S.
Reviewed on 11/04/12

I brought my 4 yr old son and we both got something out of it. He has some new ideas, like what a million years is, some real fossils he can show other people, and a great hand-out with maps. I got to take a walk with a great group of people and see some fossils that might have otherwise gone unnoticed in the visual noise that is Michigan Ave.

I brought my 4 yr old son and we both got something out of it. He has some new ideas, like what a million years is, some real fossils he can show other people, and a great hand-out with maps. I got to take a walk with a great group of people and see some fossils that might have otherwise gone unnoticed in the visual noise that is Michigan Ave.
Viktoria R.
Reviewed on 11/03/12

This class was a great way to spend an afternoon - it provided a good overview of rocks & stones along Michigan Avenue, and therefore a different perspective on what's hidden along one of Chicago's most famous strips. As one who likes to play tour guide to friends coming to the city, I've got some great new tidbits to share with upcoming visitors. Peter was very energetic, enthusiastic, and genuinely excited to share his knowledge of geology to the varied ages within the group.

This class was a great way to spend an afternoon - it provided a good overview of rocks & stones along Michigan Avenue, and therefore a different perspective on what's hidden along one of Chicago's most famous strips. As one who likes to play tour guide to friends coming to the city, I've got some great new tidbits to share with upcoming visitors. Peter was very energetic, enthusiastic, and genuinely excited to share his knowledge of geology to the varied ages within the group.

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