Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience
The Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience near Cañon City opened in July 2016, centering around a 16,000-square-foot, custom-built museum. Kids can marvel over the facility’s educational and awe-worthy full-scale dinosaur casts, real dinosaur fossils, interactive displays and hands-on exhibits. Outside, animatronic dinosaurs and a multi-story ropes course round out the experience.
Dinosaur Attraction Ancient Plant Garden San Francisco Botanical Garden San Francisco California
Ancient Plant Garden at San Francisco Botanical Garden easily transports you to the time of dinosaurs. It features plants that were growing on our planet when the big lizards walked the Earth.
It is a very unique attraction. I have been to many botanical gardens and I have never seen an ancient plants collection. I strongly suggesting visiting San Francisco Botanical Garden to experience the world the dinosaurs lived in.
Pro Tip: If you travel on a budget, here is when you can get into San Francisco Botanical Garden for FREE:
1. Early morning 7.30-9.00 am entry each day
2. Second Tuesday of every month
3. Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day
4. Any day if you are a San Francisco resident.
For more great things to do in San Francisco you may find my San Francisco Bay Area family travel ideas very helpful.
Dinosaur Museum In The Us Field Museum Chicago Illinois
Filed Museum is one of the most prominent natural history museums in the country. It has huge exhibition dedicated to dinosaurs located in Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet and Elizabeth Morse Genius Hall of Dinosaurs. Many exhibits here are similar to other great natural history museums in the world. But there are 2 exhibits that are unique to Filed that you absolutely should not miss:
Sue the T. Rex it is the largest and most complete T. Rex fossil in the world.
Maximo the Titanosaur the biggest dinosaur that has been discovered to date. And the best part? You can touch the cast!
Pro tip: Field Museum tickets are a bit on the expensive side. If you intend to visit other top attractions in Chicago, get a City Pass and save 50% on the price of tickets:
Here are my my additional tips for visiting the Windy City: Chicago Family Vacation Perspective of a Local.
Don’t Miss: Dinosaurs And The Bible Timeline
The Denver Museum Of Nature & Science Colorado
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science with its Prehistoric Journey exhibit features an interactive battle between a gargantuan Stegosaurus and an 80-foot-long Diplodocus. Dont miss the nearby Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience, with dinosaur fossils and animatronic displays, interactive displays, and hands-on exhibits.
Arizona Museum Of Natural History Arizona
Go on an adventure in paleontology in Phoenixs sole natural history museum, the Arizona Museum of Natural History. This must-see dinosaur museums Dinosaur Mountain lets guests experience a realistic Mesozoic Era set-up with animatronic dinosaurs who are the stars of the show. It even has a waterfall and live-action flash flood effects every 30 minutes for a realistic dinosaur world experience!
Another one of its dinosaur exhibits is the Dinosaur Hall where fossils of a variety of dinosaurs like theropods and sauropods will grace you with their presence. You and your family will have fun in Arizona when you visit their museum of natural history.
- Tickets: starts at $6.50 , $3.50
- Operating Hours: 10 AM 4 PM, Thursday to Saturday 12 NN 4 PM Sunday
- Location: 53 N. Macdonald, Mesa, AZ 85201
- Phone Number: 408-644-2230
Don’t Miss: Museum Of Jurassic Technology Gift Shop
Zigong Dinosaur Museum: Zigong China
Opened in 1987, Zigong Dinosaur Museum is unique from many of the other destinations on this list, as it is situated upon a site where dinosaur fossils were found. The temperate climate in Zigong has made it a gold mine for dinosaur-related discoveries!
Spread out over three floors, the museum spans around 710,000 square feet and contains a number of exhibits devoted to the Jurassic period, which occurred around 205 million to 135 million years ago. There were 100-plus specimens discovered at the Zigong site alone, and thirty of them were complete skeletons!
American Museum Of Natural History Dinosaur T
AMNH/J. Beckett
The American Museum of Natural History in New York is a must-see stop on any great dinosaur tour around the country. The main attraction is the barosaurus that towers over spectators in the main entrance. This 5-story beauty is the highest freestanding dinosaur display in the world. In addition, the museum features several fossil halls, among them 2 that are dedicated to the major types of dinosaurs.
The Field Museum of Natural History
Also Check: New Dinosaur Movie Coming Out
Natural History Museum Of Los Angeles County Los Angeles California
They say nothing comes close to the golden coast and we agree! But one things better than the golden sandy beaches and thats LAs dinosaur exhibits at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. So if youre wondering, Are there dinosaur fossils in California?, this dinosaur museum answers yes.
Visitors are treated to three dinosaur exhibits that could make it the best dinosaur museum along the west coast. And these are:
- The Jane G. Pisano Dinosaur Hall where guests can look at over 300 fossils and 20 mounted skeletons.
- The Dinosaur Institute where the museums Mesozoic collection and real dinosaur bones are studied and safe-kept by scientists.
- And the Dinosaur Encounters where visitors interact with life-sized dinosaur puppets.
Incredible, right? Make sure you come by this dinosaur attraction when youre in LA.
- Tickets: starts at $6 , Free
- Operating Hours: 9:40 AM 5 PM, Thursday to Sunday
- Location: 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007
- Phone Number: 702-384-346
Royal Belgian Institute Of Natural Science: Brussels Belgium
Founded in 1846, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science has the largest Dinosaur Gallery in Europe, devoted to displaying dinosaur fossils and information about them. In 1878, there were 38 nearly complete Iguanodon skeletons found in a coal mine in Belgium, of which the museum acquired 30, which continue to be the centerpiece of the establishment to this day.
Other highlights include Ben the Plateosaurus and a replica Tyrannosaurus named Stan. They also have preserved fossils of feathered dinosaurs available for viewing as well.
Dinosaur Museums In Montana
What are the best little known attractions in Montana?
Dinosaur museums arent the only little known attractions in Montana. The state is brimming with hidden gems, including The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas in Arlee. As incredible as it sounds, The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas is a public park, botanical garden, and Buddhist center. True to its name, the grounds feature one thousands Buddha statues, but thats not all. There are a variety of stunning statues scattered throughout the property. The site is open to the public for guided and self-guided tours.
What are the most well known parks in Montana?
Address:Address:Address:Address:Address:
Dinosaur National Monument Colorado And Utah
Fossil highlights: Stegosaurus, Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, Allosaurus and other famous dinosaurs
Dinosaur National Monument photo credit: NPS / Dan Johnson / Jake Holgerson
As its name suggests, Dinosaur National Monument is a fantastic place to see dinosaur fossils. In fact, it may just be the absolute best dinosaur fossil park in the United States.
Located on the border of Colorado and Utah, just over 200 miles east of Salt Lake City, where the Yampa and Green Rivers meet, this spectacular national monument encompasses river beds, breathtaking canyons and desert plains.
It was created in 1915 specifically to protect the world-famous Dinosaur Quarry, and later expanded to preserve the regions extraordinary landscapes and natural history resources.
There are over 800 paleontological sites across the monument, which have yielded an incredible wealth of fossils. This includes such famous dinosaurs as Stegosaurus, Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, Camarasaurus, Dryosaurus and Allosaurus.
The monuments star attraction is the Quarry Exhibit Hall, which protects the original Dinosaur Quarry.
Its Wall of Bones, which you can see from up close, contains one of the greatest collection of dinosaur fossils on the planet, including approximately 1,500 bones of all dinosaurs mentioned above and several others. On top of that, you can even touch these dinosaur bones at several locations!
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Colorado
Fossil highlights: Eocene Epoch petrified trees and abundant small fossils like insects, spiders and fish
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument photo credit: NPS
In the heart of Colorado lies one of the worlds richest Eocene fossil deposits. Hidden beneath a grassy valley, the Florissant Formation contains literally thousands of exceptionally detailed fossils of plants, insects, fish and spiders.
Additionally, the monument preserves a rich collection of petrified treesits Petrified Forest is one of the monuments most popular attractions. This includes massive petrified sequoia stumps up to 14 feet wide, some of the largest petrified trees on Earth.
Besides these enormous tree stumps, there are also numerous smaller tree-related fossils, such as fossilized pollen, cones, fruits, seeds and leaves.
Two short, easy-to-moderate trails allow you to explore the fossil sites of Florissant Fossil Beds National Monumentthe Petrified Forest Loop and the Geological Trailwhile the visitor center has exhibits and a family-friendly fossil learning lab.
The 14-minute Shadows of the Past orientation film is a perfect introduction to the magnificent fossil record of this central Colorado fossil park.
Dinosaur Journey Museum Othnielia Fossil Colorado
Museum of Western Colorado
You can do more than ogle the dinosaur bones at Colorado’s Dinosaur Journey Museum, a hands-on, interactive museum that celebrates paleontology. The authentic fossils and cast skeletons, including those of a velociraptor and a stegosaurus, are impressive, but kids will be equally enthralled with the robotic creations that show how dinosaurs moved. After touring the exhibits, let the little ones chill out with some good dino books in the reading room, and then head to the kids’ quarry to make some dinosaur tracks and hunt for Jurassic bones.
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
The Hall of Paleobiology at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, is a study of the history of life on Earth, dating back nearly 3.5 billion years. The museum added its first fossils in 1859, and since then, scientists have led expeditions around the world to bring back the goods for this world-renowned collection. Among the highlights: a tall, long-necked diplodocus and an armored stegosaurus. The hall is closed for major renovations until 2019, but the museum has put some of its dinosaur specimens on display elsewhere in the building.
Museum Of The Rockies Montana
Montana is that place up north in the west where ranches abound and incredible fossils of dinosaurs are found. The Museum of the Rockies is a reflection of all the incredible finds from the area and around the country, all curated in one incredible dinosaur museum.
Step foot into their Siebel Dinosaur Complex and explore dinosaur exhibits like Dinosaurs Under The Big Sky and Landforms/Lifeforms. From those displays, youll meet an impressive T. rex sculpture named Big Mike and an Allosaurus named Big Al. Theres a lot to do and a lot of dinosaurs to meet in this dinosaur attraction!
- Tickets: starts at $14.50 , $9.50
- Operating Hours: 9 AM 4 PM, Daily
- Location: 600 W. Kagy Blvd. Bozeman, MT 59717
- Phone Number: 404-994-2251
Dinosaur Museum In The Us Dinosaur World Plant City Florida
Dinosaur World near Tampa is a smaller dinosaur attraction compared to other places on the list but kids have a blast here. There are no actual dinosaur skeletons at Dinosaur World. The museums exhibition consists of life size human-made dinosaurs, static and animated. The latter are a the biggest hit because they move and make sounds. There is also a dinosaur dig with lots of sand and multiple hidden bones and excavation tools.
Our favorite gig in this dinosaur museum is the actual fossil dig where kids can search for REAL fossils and then keep 3 of their best finds to take home!
Vacationing in Tampa, Florida? For more information check out Things to Do in Tampa with Kids.
Pro tip: Dinosaur World attractions are also located in Kentucky and Texas where they offer similar activities.
Houston Museum Of Natural Sciences
dinosaur museum
Were excited to see the animatronic dinosaurs at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences!
The Houston Museum of Natural Sciences Dinosaur Discovery exhibit is where youll find lifelike animatronic dinosaurs. You can also explore a 3D experience in the museums Dinosaurs Alive IMAX Theater. Theres plenty to do at this top dinosaur museum in Houston.
Tickets: starts at $25 , $16
The Chicago Children’s Museum
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Children’s Museum is filled with plenty of activities for kids of all ages but one of the coolest has to be the Dinosaur Exhibition. At this exhibit, children can spend time digging for dinosaur bones at an excavation site, looking at dinosaur fossils, and learning what life is like for real archaeologists.
Additional Tips For Visiting Dinosaur Museums And Attractions In The Us
For my California travel friends, here is a map for a great road trip between San Francisco and Los Angeles showing dinosaur attractions in California that I described in this article (click on the image below to go to the actual Google Map with details:
If you found this information about best dinosaur museums in the U.S. and Jurassic Park filming locations helpful, please do me a little favor and share this information with others, for theres a good chance that it will help them with their travel plans. Dont forget to follow me on where I post many more cool photos and videos about our trips than I could include in a blog post and organize some nice giveaways!
Pin me!
Americas Top Dinosaur Destinations
You might think the closest youll ever get to dinosaurs is in the front row at this summers biggest blockbuster, but there are lots of places across the United States where you can find dinosaur bones or tracks and the fossils of other prehistoric species, as well as living, breathing, flying dinosaurs.
Prehistoric dinosaurs are part of a biological group called Dinosauria, and guess what? The sub-group, saurischian, are the ancestors of modern-day birds. As the direct descendants of some of the fiercest creatures in history, birds are dinosaurs, too. In fact, anywhere you go bird-watching, youre actually dinosaur-watching. And if youve ever met an elephant, youve rubbed noses with a modern-day incarnation of the mighty mammoth, #iknowright.
Want to know where to find dinosaur fossils and see some of their descendants for yourself? Weve gathered a list, presented in no particular order, of the best places to uncover the ancient relics and modern-day habitats of dinosaurs and other paleontological wonders without leaving the country, or this millennium. Can ya dig it?
Dinosaur Museum In The Us Natural History Museum Of Utah Salt Lake City Utah
Utah probably has the biggest amount of dinosaur attractions compared to any other U.S. states. We have not visited them all but they are on our travel wish list. Natural History Museum of Utah has a huge hall devoted to dinosaurs exhibition.
This exhibition, which is called Past Worlds, has lots of complete dinosaur skeletons on display and our favorite part was not just observing them but listening to the sounds that various dinosaurs made.
Kids can also participate in a dinosaur dig on site as well as watch museum staff and volunteers working at the paleontology preparation lab as they prepare specimens for research and display at the museum.
University Of California Museum Of Paleontology Berkeley California
dinosaur museum
The University of California Museum of Paleontology is one of the most well-known dinosaur museums in the United States. It is located in Berkeley, California, and has a large collection of fossils and artifacts from all over the world. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm, and admission is free for all visitors.
Royal Belgian Institute Of Natural Science Brussels Belgium
The most important pieces in the museum are definitely the 30 fossilized Iguanodon skeletons, discovered in 1878 and helping to make the dinosaur hall Europes largest museum hall completely dedicated to dinosaurs. This museum is not just fascinating to walk through though, it actually offers an incredible amount of education through the interactive exhibits including the details of the fossilization process and dinosaur digs.
Parents will love watching the eight interviews with paleontology experts around the world while kids will have a blast in the paleo lab where they can touch and explore real fossils, along with putting together a life-sized stegosaurus and walking in dinosaur footprints. This museum does an excellent job linking dinosaurs to modern-day animals, making it even easier to understand how evolution works. A win-win in our books.
National Dinosaur Museum Canberra Australia
Home to the largest permanent display of dinosaur and prehistoric fossils in Australia, this is where you should head if you want to know anything about dinosaurs down under. The museum actually follows the evolution of life and just happens to put the emphasis on dinosaurs. The favorite part of this museum has to be the dinosaur garden, with its imposing dinosaur sculptures made out of fiberglass and animatronics.
The museum has only been in operation since 1993 and with 23 complete skeletons, and over 300 displays of individual fossils, it is growing and expanding its collection as each year passes. Special experiences here include guided tours, childrens learning events, and fossil digs.
The Field Museum Chicago Il
Think you know everything there is to know about the Tyrannosaurus rex? The Field Museum is home to one of Chicagos most famous residents, Sue, the largest and most complete T. rex skeleton in the world. At the Field Museum, youll get to find out even more fascinating facts about the Tyrannosaurus rex while admiring Sue. The museum is also home to the Evolving Planet exhibit, a comprehensive dinosaur exhibit in which you could spend hours.
Best Dinosaur Museums In The Us
These 12 museums with dinosaur centerpieces, exhibits or halls dedicated to these extinct creatures are a must-visit make sure to include them on your itinerary or plan a trip around them.
- Contact: +1 404 929 6300
- Tickets: General admission for non-members is between $22 to $25 .
- Highlights: Argentinosaurus
Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta showcases the largest dinosaur ever discovered in the country a full-sized, 100-ton Argentinosaurus skeleton.
If that wasnt enough of an impressive exhibit, there is also the carnivorous Gigantosaurus and a flock of 20 pterosaurs flying over them.
This mesmerizing scene has been permanently featured on the museums Giants of the Mesozoic exhibit.
If youre not coming with kids, check out the museums After Dark program that lets visitors stay beyond museum hours with drinks and a different kind of dinosaur-themed adventure.
- Address: 1400 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605-2496
- Contact: +1 312 922 9410
- Tickets: Tickets range from $26 to $20 depending on where you reside, your age, and package you chose.
- Highlights: Sue the T. Rex
Once you enter this Chicago institution, youll go straight to the Stanley Field Hall, where youll meet Sue the T-Rex (her bones are the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus bones ever found.
Its a sight to behold the skull weighs a whopping 600 pounds and features 58 teeth.
How cool is that?
There are a few reasons why people love the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.