Cruisin鈥� Deep Time with Kirk Johnson and Ray Troll: The Travels of a Scientist and an Artist in search of Paleo America
Kirk Johnson and Ray Troll
Thursday, February 26, 2026 娄 7:00 PM 娄 Alaska Center for the Performing Arts - Discovery Theatre
Join Alaskan artist Ray Troll and Smithsonian paleontologist Kirk Johnson on an 鈥榚poch鈥� journey through the deep history of the Earth. Experience this unique blend of science and art as Kirk and Ray share tales from their travels across North America. They have recorded and illustrated their adventures in three books: the newly published second edition of Cruisin鈥� the Fossil Freeway (2024), Cruisin鈥� the Fossil Coastline (2018) and the brand-new children鈥檚 book Alaska Dinosaurs, Mammoths and More (2025). They are presently working on a fossil atlas for the United States.
About Kirk and Ray
RAY TROLL is known for his diverse, often humorous, science-inspired artwork. His art can be found in museums and books, on posters and hoodies, and on literally millions of t-shirts. He has created a dozen books and numerous travelling exhibits. He also co-hosts the popular Paleo Nerds podcast and headlines his band, The Ratfish Wranglers. Ray has received much acclaim but it鈥檚 hard to beat the fact that Hydrolagus trolli, a newly discovered species of ratfish, was named in his honor. Ray and his wife Michelle live and work in Ketchikan, Alaska and own and operate the Prairie Sea gallery in Lindsborg, Kansas.
KIRK JOHNSON is a paleobotanist known for his research on plants and the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs, his PBS NOVA documentaries, his popular books, and his partnership with Ray. He is also the Sant Director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History where he oversees the world鈥檚 largest natural history collection. A new species of fossil parasol tree was recently named Macaranga kirkjohnsoni. Kirk and his wife Chase live in Washington, D.C. and Livingston, Montana.
KIRK and RAY have been working together since 1998. Their never-ending road trip is now in its 26th year and they are presently working on a fossil atlas of the United States that will be published in 2026.