Ammonites, trilobites, dinosaurs, oh my! Fossils are all around us. That’s the message paleontologist Kirk Johnson and artist Ray Troll share in the traveling exhibit Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway with Artist Ray Troll and Paleontologist Kirk Johnson, currently on view at the Museum of the Gulf Coast.

Fossils have long been a subject of fascination and are used by paleontologists to help answer questions about early life on Earth. But how much can the fossil record tell us about prehistoric creatures, extinction, and geologic time?

Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway features color prints and large-scale murals of Troll’s whimsical, fossil-inspired artwork, which were created for a book of the same title, published by Troll and Johnson in 2007. The exhibit combines stunning and humorous visuals with stories from the book to record the “epoch tale” of the duo’s 5,000-mile road trip through the American West as they sought to explore the fossil record.

Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway was organized by the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, Washington in collaboration with Ray Troll and Kirk Johnson. The exhibition will remain on view in the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Dunn Gallery through December 30, 2011 and will inspire a variety of public programs including a Girl Scout Overnight and FREE school tours. Local sponsorship for Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway was provided by the Southeast Texas Arts Council and Entergy.

In celebration of Texas Archeology Awareness Month, Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway opened to the public with a FREE Family Fun Day on Saturday, October 1, 2011. Young and old enjoyed hands-on activities and crafts inspired by the temporary exhibition as well as the Museum’s permanent exhibits on paleontology and archeology, film presentations in the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s unique Discovery Dome Theater and a visit by children’s book illustrator Bill Megenhardt, featuring his latest books The Great Dinosaur Race and The Fun Dinosaur Day at the Beach. Photos from the fun-filled day are featured below.