Tips and Articles
Our Favorite Spots To Meet The Dinosaurs
With a son who is crazy about dinosaurs, we have purposefully searched for locations around the U.S. to visit and learn more about the dinosaurs. We have seen some incredible spots, both out west where the dinosaurs roamed as well as inside the walls of incredible museums. Here is a list of some of our favorite spots that we have visited. Enjoy!
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Museum of The Rockies - Bozeman, Montana
Home to The Siebel Dinosaur Complex, The Museum of The Rockies has the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex Collection in the world thanks to MOR’s former Curator of Paleontology, Jack Horner, the famed paleontologist that served as the technical advisor for all the Jurassic Park films. In addition, they offer a Junior Paleontology Camp each summer for your budding Paleontologists for grades K through 5th. We have spent the last 5 summers traveling out to Bozeman for my son to attend the camp and it is the highlight of his summer!
Home to The Siebel Dinosaur Complex, The Museum of The Rockies has the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex Collection in the world thanks to MOR’s former Curator of Paleontology, Jack Horner, the famed paleontologist that served as the technical advisor for all the Jurassic Park films. In addition, they offer a Junior Paleontology Camp each summer for your budding Paleontologists for grades K through 5th. We have spent the last 5 summers traveling out to Bozeman for my son to attend the camp and it is the highlight of his summer!
Field Museum - Chicago, IL
This is where my son's love of dinosaurs began at 3 years old when he took out a book at our local library about a dinosaur named Sue. Sue was found in 1990 in the Badlands of South Dakota and was the most complete T-Rex ever found at 90% complete. In 1997, The Field Museum purchased Sue for $8.36 million dollars at an auction and she has been on display in the front hall ever since. in 2018, The Field Museum began the process of moving Sue from her home at Stanley Hall to a fancy new home in the Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet. While making this move, the scientists are making important scientific updates to Sue that they have learned over the last 16 years of exploration and discovery. Sue will be in her new home in the Spring of 2019. In the meantime, you can follow her journey in a hilarious twitter page @SUEtheTrex . In addition to Sue, The Field Museum acquired another amazing Dinosaur in 2018, Maximo the Titanosaurus, the world’s largest dinosaur, standing at 122 feet from head to tail.
This is where my son's love of dinosaurs began at 3 years old when he took out a book at our local library about a dinosaur named Sue. Sue was found in 1990 in the Badlands of South Dakota and was the most complete T-Rex ever found at 90% complete. In 1997, The Field Museum purchased Sue for $8.36 million dollars at an auction and she has been on display in the front hall ever since. in 2018, The Field Museum began the process of moving Sue from her home at Stanley Hall to a fancy new home in the Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet. While making this move, the scientists are making important scientific updates to Sue that they have learned over the last 16 years of exploration and discovery. Sue will be in her new home in the Spring of 2019. In the meantime, you can follow her journey in a hilarious twitter page @SUEtheTrex . In addition to Sue, The Field Museum acquired another amazing Dinosaur in 2018, Maximo the Titanosaurus, the world’s largest dinosaur, standing at 122 feet from head to tail.
Wyoming Dinosaur Center - Thermopolis, Wyoming
As you make your way to Thermopolis, Wyoming, you can’t escape the feeling of awe knowing that you are in the spot where dinosaurs once roamed. Home to just over 3,000 residents, Thermopolis is known for its many natural hot springs. It is also home to the incredible Wyoming Dinosaur Center. The complex includes a world-class museum, dig sites, a complete preparation laboratory and an outstanding gift store that the kids will love. I highly recommend the Dig site tour. You can also sign up for a Dig for A Day program for both adults and kids. We loved this place as it is a real hands on museum in the heart of dinosaur country.
As you make your way to Thermopolis, Wyoming, you can’t escape the feeling of awe knowing that you are in the spot where dinosaurs once roamed. Home to just over 3,000 residents, Thermopolis is known for its many natural hot springs. It is also home to the incredible Wyoming Dinosaur Center. The complex includes a world-class museum, dig sites, a complete preparation laboratory and an outstanding gift store that the kids will love. I highly recommend the Dig site tour. You can also sign up for a Dig for A Day program for both adults and kids. We loved this place as it is a real hands on museum in the heart of dinosaur country.
American Natural History Museum - New York, New York
For anyone that has ever seen “Night At The Museum” starring Ben Stiller, you will recognize that the building featured in the film, was based on the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. One of the stars of the movie is Rexy, the large T-Rex that loves to play fetch with a fossil. It is such fun to visit and think about the movie and they even have a tour dedicated to the movie and it’s stars. In real life, The Fossil Halls at ANHM are filled with an extensive assortment of Fossils, 136 specimens to be exact. You will want to save an entire day to see this collection. Your kids will love the Dinosaur themed gift shop as well and if you are in town for a few days you may even have an opportunity to spend a Night at The Museum yourself! Be sure to watch out for Rexy!
For anyone that has ever seen “Night At The Museum” starring Ben Stiller, you will recognize that the building featured in the film, was based on the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. One of the stars of the movie is Rexy, the large T-Rex that loves to play fetch with a fossil. It is such fun to visit and think about the movie and they even have a tour dedicated to the movie and it’s stars. In real life, The Fossil Halls at ANHM are filled with an extensive assortment of Fossils, 136 specimens to be exact. You will want to save an entire day to see this collection. Your kids will love the Dinosaur themed gift shop as well and if you are in town for a few days you may even have an opportunity to spend a Night at The Museum yourself! Be sure to watch out for Rexy!
Dinosaur National Monument - Vernal Utah
No dinosaur list would be complete without including the Carnegie Dinosaur Quarry located within Dinosaur National Monument. A shuttle takes you up to Quarry and as you enter this beautiful building built around the quarry you see this enormous wall filled with over 1,500 dinosaur bones sticking out. There are numerous species of dinosaurs including Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Camarasaurus, Diplodicus, and Stegosaurus along with several others. It was thought that there was a huge flood that killed a large number of dinosaurs and the flood waters took them all away until they finally rested and were covered up by the sandstone. This is why there are so many bones in random formation throughout the wall. It is absolute a sight to see! In addition, the small town of Vernal, Utah, about 15 miles away is well worth a visit! Vernal(AKA Dinosaurland) is a town themed on Dinosaurs. Hotels, Restaurants, Statues all in honor of the giants! Also as a bonus, the Utah Field House of Natural History is located in downtown Vernal and has a fantastic collection of Dinosaur Fossils as well as a fun outdoor space filled with life sized dinosaurs that your kids will love.
No dinosaur list would be complete without including the Carnegie Dinosaur Quarry located within Dinosaur National Monument. A shuttle takes you up to Quarry and as you enter this beautiful building built around the quarry you see this enormous wall filled with over 1,500 dinosaur bones sticking out. There are numerous species of dinosaurs including Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Camarasaurus, Diplodicus, and Stegosaurus along with several others. It was thought that there was a huge flood that killed a large number of dinosaurs and the flood waters took them all away until they finally rested and were covered up by the sandstone. This is why there are so many bones in random formation throughout the wall. It is absolute a sight to see! In addition, the small town of Vernal, Utah, about 15 miles away is well worth a visit! Vernal(AKA Dinosaurland) is a town themed on Dinosaurs. Hotels, Restaurants, Statues all in honor of the giants! Also as a bonus, the Utah Field House of Natural History is located in downtown Vernal and has a fantastic collection of Dinosaur Fossils as well as a fun outdoor space filled with life sized dinosaurs that your kids will love.