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Anyone under 5 is free, anyone over is $6. This museum is on the small side. I finished it in 10-15 mins. But my toddler went around the museum about 5 times. So we were there for 1.5 hours. The best part for her was the interactive sand and the interactive floor screen that you can step on. We were able to watch a short film on dinosaur tracks in their auditorium. This museum is a perfect short trip. There's a hiking trail outside but we passed on that. She loved this museum so much and kept asking to see the dinosaurs again. We will stop by again if we are in the neighborhood.
We were in CT for a wedding in April and unfortunately were not able to visit the park. In October we went down again for a wedding and this time made it a point to go as my son is a Dino lover (understatement) he actually thinks he's a dino.... We did the Dino track first as i figured it would be the highlight of his Dino obsession... it takes about 1hr to dry so in the mean time we went inside to see the museum which is quite small but has a few reptiles and plastic dinosaurs to entertain dino lovers. We didn't have too much time left so we did the shortest hike, i wish we could have walked more as it was a beautiful forest setting. If you're going for the Dino cast call before because we bought all items listed online and when we got there they had lots of buckets, veg oil that we could have used and not wasted money on... Overall pretty happy with our adventure and the price is super reasonable
Honestly not sure what all the negativity is all about here. Maybe they had some changes in staff/volunteers but everyone we encountered was helpful and kind. The indoor exhibit is small and probably a little outdated but the facts & history haven't changed about this place for a long time! It was cool seeing all the dinosaur tracks and sad that they haven't found any bones but there are actually a lot more tracks than you think that were re-covered for their protection because they didn't have the money to expand. I will say some of the buttons didn't work for "lighting up" the dinosaur tracks but one of them did work. Other than the inside exhibit there is a place to do "mining", some nature trail walks, and even a place to make your own casting (bring your own plaster). Having your own fossil track casting just sounds awesome. I believe the biggest casting needed 15 pounds but online lists only 10 pounds max are necessary just FYI. They also have lots of "ancient" fauna and plants listed around the property. I also liked seeing the snakes and other reptiles. They even have an outdoor time area for their tortoises/turtles! That says a lot given most places those reptiles will never come out of their enclosures. We paid $6/adult which is $12 total?? A steal for a cool experience and a shame that so many people are hating on this place.
Small but very well run and thorough museum, terrific for all ages. Affordable outing that will only take about an hour of time indoors, but lovely grounds with trails and interpretive signs and a welcoming picnic area. I don't know how I never got here before but I'll be back.
It's a good place to spend a few hours with your little kids. There's nothing much inside except a fossil and a few live reptiles. But for the older ones, I don't think there is much to keep them occupied. The place is clean and has a nice walking trail. There is no store inside to get food, I saw people bringing their own food.
I've never been to the Dino State Park. I've always seen the signs for it on i-91. Finally my wife set up a day to go on our Sunday Funday with my daughter. We got there around 10AM. When you park and start walking on the sidewalk they have these great blocks with writing representing the age of the earth and when life started to form. We read it as we went and my daughter loved it. Right outside the entrance they have this replica sized dinosaur foot that you can sit on or take a pic next to. Inside they have a children's activity area. You can identify fossils, dinosaur bones, make bookmarks with fossils embossing on them or inspect different rocks to learn about them. Most of these rocks were all found in different areas of Connecticut. It gives you some depth to our state for our child. We went into the auditorium and watched a video about the Dino State Park and about the Dinosaur footprints here. My daughter watched most it and we left near the end of the 25 minute video. Inside the museum section they have beautiful displays of the layers of rock formations and where the fossils/footprints were found. And the grand display, the ground floor of footprints that were dug up back in the 60s. Its amazing. SO many dinosaur tracks and they use lights above to help show you the walking paths of each set of prints. My daughter thought it was cool but my wife and I loved it way more. Outside we had lunch on the benches. It was a beautiful scenery. Then we did Geo Mining. We bought a small bag inside for our daughter to do it. She really liked this. I recommend that you do this with you children. Your going to get wet from the water they have flowing but its real cool. Then we did the Fossil Cast. In order to do this you will NEED to buy and bring Plaster Paris. You can get it from Home Depot. We didnt know this but luckily there was some leftover from another family and we were able to use theirs but this is the coolest activity that you can do. So get yourself a bag and come. The volunteers are super nice and helpful. They love what they are doing and they helped us with each step of the casting for the Fossil. My daughter loved the busyness of it. Then we did a nature walk. They have 3 trails (yellow, orange and blue). We did yellow and orange. They go across various terrains and the trails arent too long so your kids should be able to last through one or two of them. The flowers and smells are so awesome. Nature is a beautiful thing. Also when your done, take a walk into the butterfly garden. There was two butterflies in the garden and it was nice for my daughter. We spent probably 2-3 hours here. So ignore the other reviews that say its a quick 1hr and that's it. The experience is what you make of it. Its relatively cheap to do and super hands on. So do it! You wont be disappointed.
This place was so so so fun. As soon as we entered we were greeted with a friendly staff. It was a warm and friendly feeling that made me feel sure that this was a family friendly environment. The cheap price also is unmatched for the experience. The vast amount of dinosaur facts and fossil facts that related to the area were we in was fascinating. It was so interesting how one of the most largest pieces of dinosaur history was right below our feet. The little game to find the fossils in the "sandbox" was also really fun. The dinosaurs themselves looked so epic! The sound and light effects also were really cool and made me feel immersed in the dino-world. The gift shop is also so cool, it's filled to the brim with so many dino products! I had to make sure I didn't make a dent in my wallet! This place is perfect for a family fun and educational experience!!!
This is a nice park if you're wanting to do a trail walk with the family. It doesn't have large interactive dinosaurs like I thought but there is a bug fossil inside the museum that was found in that area of CT which was cool. The inside of the museum is small and doesn't have much going on. Bring lunch if you plan on staying there for the day as there isn't places to eat here. It was nice to see the kids get to touch live reptiles which doesn't happen all the time but it was a scheduled event that occurred when we decided to visit this day.
6 months ago
Loved coming here for the nature hike and exploring the grounds. Dogs are no longer allowed on the trails read more
This is a fun spot that's a little underwhelming in terms of the attractions. Part museum, part park, when we went it was covered in snow, so we only really were able to experience what's inside. It's $6, and small kids are free, which was an appropriate cost. You'll walk into a few small animals in exhibits - snakes, frogs, etc. - which are fun, and then get to the fossils and stuff. They have one of those topographical sand tables, which are fun for little ones (also saw some teens playing with it, so fun for all ages). They have a bunch of fossils, mostly fossilized footprints, and one mostly complete dinosaur specimen, as well as an impressive room that must've been 100 ft wide that shows tracks that different dinosaurs made over the eons. That part was very cool. But, it's a pretty small spot, and you can walk through it really quickly, probably in 15 mins or so if you're quick. We have a small kid, so we spent probably closer to an hour and ran through it a couple times. Ultimately, it was a good stop, but not something I'd really go out of my way to do again. read more
If you love dinosaurs, this is the place to visit. It's a state park on 80 acres and 7 of that are dinosaur footprints. Yep! Actual preserved footprints, right in Rocky Hill CT. In 1966, 2,600 footprints were found and it's worth a visit. There are exhibits, live animals, and other informational kiosks for kids and adults. The kids loved the sand box. There is a gift shop and a space for kids to color. Outside there are 2.5 miles of trails. There is a footprint casting and mineral mining station outside too. The kids and I enjoyed our few hours spent there and look forward to going back soon! read more
1 year ago
Anyone under 5 is free, anyone over is $6. This museum is on the small side. I finished it in 10-15 mins. But my toddler went around the museum about 5 times. So we were there for 1.5 hours. The best part for her was the interactive sand and the interactive floor screen that you can step on. We were able to watch a short film on dinosaur tracks in their auditorium. This museum is a perfect short trip. There's a hiking trail outside but we passed on that. She loved this museum so much and kept asking to see the dinosaurs again. We will stop by again if we are in the neighborhood. read more
3 years ago
We were in CT for a wedding in April and unfortunately were not able to visit the park. In October we went down again for a wedding and this time made it a point to go as my son is a Dino lover (understatement) he actually thinks he's a dino.... We did the Dino track first as i figured it would be the highlight of his Dino obsession... it takes about 1hr to dry so in the mean time we went inside to see the museum which is quite small but has a few reptiles and plastic dinosaurs to entertain dino lovers. We didn't have too much time left so we did the shortest hike, i wish we could have walked more as it was a beautiful forest setting. If you're going for the Dino cast call before because we bought all items listed online and when we got there they had lots of buckets, veg oil that we could have used and not wasted money on... Overall pretty happy with our adventure and the price is super reasonable read more
3 years ago
Honestly not sure what all the negativity is all about here. Maybe they had some changes in staff/volunteers but everyone we encountered was helpful and kind. The indoor exhibit is small and probably a little outdated but the facts & history haven't changed about this place for a long time! It was cool seeing all the dinosaur tracks and sad that they haven't found any bones but there are actually a lot more tracks than you think that were re-covered for their protection because they didn't have the money to expand. I will say some of the buttons didn't work for "lighting up" the dinosaur tracks but one of them did work. Other than the inside exhibit there is a place to do "mining", some nature trail walks, and even a place to make your own casting (bring your own plaster). Having your own fossil track casting just sounds awesome. I believe the biggest casting needed 15 pounds but online lists only 10 pounds max are necessary just FYI. They also have lots of "ancient" fauna and plants listed around the property. I also liked seeing the snakes and other reptiles. They even have an outdoor time area for their tortoises/turtles! That says a lot given most places those reptiles will never come out of their enclosures. We paid $6/adult which is $12 total?? A steal for a cool experience and a shame that so many people are hating on this place. read more
Small but very well run and thorough museum, terrific for all ages. Affordable outing that will only take about an hour of time indoors, but lovely grounds with trails and interpretive signs and a welcoming picnic area. I don't know how I never got here before but I'll be back. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
It's a good place to spend a few hours with your little kids. There's nothing much inside except a fossil and a few live reptiles. But for the older ones, I don't think there is much to keep them occupied. The place is clean and has a nice walking trail. There is no store inside to get food, I saw people bringing their own food. read more
I've never been to the Dino State Park. I've always seen the signs for it on i-91. Finally my wife set up a day to go on our Sunday Funday with my daughter. We got there around 10AM. When you park and start walking on the sidewalk they have these great blocks with writing representing the age of the earth and when life started to form. We read it as we went and my daughter loved it. Right outside the entrance they have this replica sized dinosaur foot that you can sit on or take a pic next to. Inside they have a children's activity area. You can identify fossils, dinosaur bones, make bookmarks with fossils embossing on them or inspect different rocks to learn about them. Most of these rocks were all found in different areas of Connecticut. It gives you some depth to our state for our child. We went into the auditorium and watched a video about the Dino State Park and about the Dinosaur footprints here. My daughter watched most it and we left near the end of the 25 minute video. Inside the museum section they have beautiful displays of the layers of rock formations and where the fossils/footprints were found. And the grand display, the ground floor of footprints that were dug up back in the 60s. Its amazing. SO many dinosaur tracks and they use lights above to help show you the walking paths of each set of prints. My daughter thought it was cool but my wife and I loved it way more. Outside we had lunch on the benches. It was a beautiful scenery. Then we did Geo Mining. We bought a small bag inside for our daughter to do it. She really liked this. I recommend that you do this with you children. Your going to get wet from the water they have flowing but its real cool. Then we did the Fossil Cast. In order to do this you will NEED to buy and bring Plaster Paris. You can get it from Home Depot. We didnt know this but luckily there was some leftover from another family and we were able to use theirs but this is the coolest activity that you can do. So get yourself a bag and come. The volunteers are super nice and helpful. They love what they are doing and they helped us with each step of the casting for the Fossil. My daughter loved the busyness of it. Then we did a nature walk. They have 3 trails (yellow, orange and blue). We did yellow and orange. They go across various terrains and the trails arent too long so your kids should be able to last through one or two of them. The flowers and smells are so awesome. Nature is a beautiful thing. Also when your done, take a walk into the butterfly garden. There was two butterflies in the garden and it was nice for my daughter. We spent probably 2-3 hours here. So ignore the other reviews that say its a quick 1hr and that's it. The experience is what you make of it. Its relatively cheap to do and super hands on. So do it! You wont be disappointed. read more
8 years ago
This place was so so so fun. As soon as we entered we were greeted with a friendly staff. It was a warm and friendly feeling that made me feel sure that this was a family friendly environment. The cheap price also is unmatched for the experience. The vast amount of dinosaur facts and fossil facts that related to the area were we in was fascinating. It was so interesting how one of the most largest pieces of dinosaur history was right below our feet. The little game to find the fossils in the "sandbox" was also really fun. The dinosaurs themselves looked so epic! The sound and light effects also were really cool and made me feel immersed in the dino-world. The gift shop is also so cool, it's filled to the brim with so many dino products! I had to make sure I didn't make a dent in my wallet! This place is perfect for a family fun and educational experience!!! read more
This is a nice park if you're wanting to do a trail walk with the family. It doesn't have large interactive dinosaurs like I thought but there is a bug fossil inside the museum that was found in that area of CT which was cool. The inside of the museum is small and doesn't have much going on. Bring lunch if you plan on staying there for the day as there isn't places to eat here. It was nice to see the kids get to touch live reptiles which doesn't happen all the time but it was a scheduled event that occurred when we decided to visit this day. read more
3 years ago
I have to say I like the park more than the interior museum. The museum has a gift shop and random dinosaur displays. There is even a room to watch films. To be clear, I am a fan of walking in flora and also hearing the insects and birds chirp. It is great to be in the fresh air and just surrounded by nature's beauty. It is a wonderful spot to take to probably do yoga and meditate, or even just to walk around with the family or friends. It is huge and has many trails to choose from. I would come back to the park portion. It is quiet and nice. read more
9 years ago
First off pros - seeing actual dinosaur tracks was very very cool. I feel our trip here was worth it just for that. The trails were pleasant, beautiful trees, peaceful. Cons - much of the inside exhibit is outdated. I don't feel like the cost of admission is justified. They do not offer an active duty military discount. read more
6 years ago
18 years ago
We had a very fun time at Dinosaur State park today. This is a small museum that can be walked through in mere minutes but they do a good job of doing activities here. While we were there they had an "animal show" where they showed off one of their resident lizards, taught the kids, and let them touch him. There was also an educational talk about the fossilized footprints in the main showroom. The kids were able to learn about what the landscape looked like and what life was like long ago. After all that, we were able to go into the activity room and look at different fossils and minerals close up and hands on. They did have some crafts to do but there was a day care also visiting today so the wait for the crafts was a bit too long for my kids. Unfortunately, while we were in the museum it started to rain, and it rained hard. We were, therefore, unable to experience the outdoor areas of Dinosaur State park. We will have to go back another day. We did like this museum, don't count on a day trip, but it's a great activity. Definitely worth the $16 that we spent on 2 adult and 2 child tickets. read more
13 years ago
15 years ago
My son has been obsessed with Dinosaurs since he was 2 years old. The first time we visited Dinosaur State Park, I was expecting much more...I had grown up visiting the Peabody in New Haven, CT. But over the years, I have learned to truly appreciate the things that this park has to offer through my son's eyes (he's 4-1/2 now). Upon entering, the sidewalk has a timeline embedded in it and painted dinosaur tracks lead you to the exhibit center. You'll enter through the gift shop (surprise, surprise) before exploring the indoor exhibits. My son and I watched a movie during our last visit which explained that the exhibit center was simply built upon the dinosaur tracks that were discovered here...wow! I have to admit, the movie was a bit lame...looked homemade. Anyhow, there is a craft room with long tables, animals in tanks (bearded dragon, skink, etc.), toys & puzzles, animal skeletons, etc. When we're done with the exhibit center, we move outside to the casting area and check out what people have made (plaster castings of dino footprints). We've never participated in this project, it's messy and the circular castings appear to be at least 2 inches thick and 1 foot wide (heavy). I believe the entire process takes approx. 45 minutes. Kids can also participate in a "Mining for Gems and Fossils" activity at an extra cost. Then, we move onto the butterfly garden and trails. You could easily spend 1/2 hour walking through the trails...we always hear the frogs singing to each other. Just make sure you wear bug spray, it's quite swampy. Note: The footprint castings are open daily from May 1 to October 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There is no fee to use this area but PARK GUESTS MUST BRING THEIR OWN MATERIALS. You'll need: - 10 pounds of Plaster-of-Paris (no substitutions) - 1/4 cup cooking oil - Five gallon bucket - Cloth rags and paper towels Under the age of 6 years: admitted free, kids ages 6-12: $2.00, adults: $6.00, parking is free. Many local libraries offer passes/discounts to this park also. read more
13 years ago
9 years ago
Fabulous place for kids and adults to hike and experience dinosaur tracks. You have videos, short talks and furthermore option to make cast of dinosaur prints.. Bulls-eye among the kids. Average time spent around 2 hours. read more
12 years ago
10 years ago
10 years ago
5 years ago
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More info about Dinosaur State Park
400 West St
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
Directions
(860) 529-8423
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325194&depNav_GID=1650#overview
Hours
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
