Where to Take a Kid Who Loves Dinosaurs in and Near NYC
If you have a little one who’s crazy about dinosaurs, you totally get how fascinating these prehistoric creatures can be! The dinosaur craze is indeed alive and well. Even though we’re not in the Jurassic period anymore, living in New York means we don’t have to search far to satisfy our budding paleontologists’ roaring curiosity.
Over in New Jersey and Connecticut, there are fossils and tracks left by the dinosaurs that once roamed those areas. Plus, New York City is packed with museums, zoos, and parks that are perfect for an exciting and educational summer adventure!
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American Museum of Natural History
200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024
Hours: Open Daily 10:00 am – 5:30 pm
Admission: $30 for Adults, $25 for Students with valid ID & Seniors, $18 for Children and free for members. Pay What You Wish: for NY State residents (with ID).
Check out the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs to see the iconic Tyrannosaurus rex and Apatosaurus models alongside video and archival photos to learn about the history of paleontology.
Be sure to visit the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Orientation Center first to see the famous Titanosaur and learn about the layout of the Dinosaur Wing, which is arranged by evolutionary relationships!
Interested in seeing more of the Museum? Check out Watson Adventures’ Museum of Natural Hysteria Scavenger Hunt for Kids to uncover “the weirdest, the wildest, and the wackiest secrets” of the Museum!
Designed for teams of 5-6 kids with at least one adult on each team, these scavenger hunts will get you up close and personal with the exhibits, and you might even be able to touch ancient rocks and dinosaur bones! Inquire about setting up a private hunt here.
Field Station: Dinosaurs
3 Overpeck Park Driveway, Leonia, NJ 07605
Hours: Open: 10 am – 6 pm on Saturdays and Sundays (Spring Season: May 24 through June 22), 10 am – 6 pm on Tuesdays through Sundays ( Summer Season: June 24 through August 31) and 10 am – 5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays (Fall Season: September 6 through November 9; Thursday, November 6 and Friday, November 7).
Admission: $15
This amusement park-like attraction has everything a dinosaur lover needs! The new Jurassic Jump Bungee trampoline will let you jump up to 25 feet in the air, the height of the tallest dinosaur models here!*
There are interactive amphitheater shows playing throughout the day, including “Are You Smarter Than a Paleontologist?” and “Dinosaur Dance Party”!
There are also more hands-on workshops for aspiring paleontologists, such as the Fossil Dig Site, and you can even create your own dinosaur drawings while learning how paleontologists hypothesize dinosaur colors!
Liberty Science Center
222 Jersey City Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07305
Hours: Vary, check website for hours
Admission: All prices here.
Experience the Dino Dig Adventure, an immersive paleontological dig with fossils from seven different dinosaur species to uncover–who knows what you might find! Although the dig is outdoors, a tent provides shade over the whole site so you can still enjoy this dig on the hottest days!
Center for Science Teaching & Learning
1450 Tanglewood Rd., Rockville Centre, NY 11570
Hours: Open daily 10 am-4 pm; closed Wednesdays
Admission: $15; $12 for children 1-12 and seniors
See the most robotic life-size dinosaurs in an exhibit in the metropolitan New York area at the Dinosaurs! exhibit. You can see other robotic and skeletal animals, as well as participate in a dinosaur dig and other hands-on activities while you are here!
New Jersey State Museum
205 W State St., Trenton, NJ 08608
Hours: Open Tuesday – Sunday: 9:00 am – 4:45 pm; Galleries begin closing at 4:30 pm.
Admission: Different pricing on website
Written in the Rocks: Fossil Tales of New Jersey takes you back 35 billion years! Visit the highlights of the exhibit, including the Dryptosaurus, the world’s first known carnivorous dinosaur, and the Hadrosaurus foulkii, the New Jersey state dinosaur.
Haddonfield’s Dinosaur Discovery Park
2 King’s Court, Haddonfield, NJ 08033
Free
This hidden gem is the site of the original discovery of the state dinosaur, Hadrosaurus foulkii. Located next to a stream, the scenic wooded area surrounding the site is perfect for a quiet nature excursion from the city!
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, PA 19103
Hours: Open 10:00 am – 4:30 pm Wednesday through Friday; 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday
Admission: Adults (age 13 and above): $29.00 ($27.00 online)
Children (ages 2–12): $25.00 ($23.00 online)
Children (under age 2): free
Members: Free
Seniors (age 65+): $26.00 ($24.00 online)
The Dinosaur Hall at the Academy is home to a 42-foot, 7.5-ton T. rex and many others. See dinosaurs eggs, footprints, sculptures, murals and paleontology tools in the exhibit!
Dinosaur State Park
400 West St., Rocky Hill, CT 06067
Hours: Open 9:00 am – 4:30 pm Tuesday through Sunday
Admission: $6 Adults and Teens (Youth 13 and over)
$2 Youth (Ages 6 -12)
FREE Children (5 years and under)
While the Exhibit Center is closed until September 1 for renovations, you can still explore the two miles of nature trails and the Dinosaur State Park Arboretum, which hosts over 250 species of plant families that appeared in the Age of Dinosaurs! On the trails, keep an eye out for Eubrontes tracks!
Riverside Park Dinosaur Playground
Public park off Riverside Dr. in the Upper West Side, Morningside Heights, and Hamilton Heights neighborhoods of NYC
Hours: View times and updates here
Admission: Free
The Dinosaur Playground is the perfect place to spend some time outdoors! In addition to two fiberglass dinosaurs (a Triceratops and a Hadrosaur), you can play on the swings, climbing equipment and sandboxes, and take a run through the spray showers!
Flushing Meadows Corona Park Jurassic and Triassic Playgrounds
Public park between Grand Central Pkwy., Jewel Ave. and Van Wyck Expy. in Queens, 11354
Hours: View times and updates here
Admission: Free
See the animal art and images of a Stegosaurus, Apatosaurus and Ankylosaurus at the Jurassic playground, then head over to the Triassic Playground for a dinosaur-themed slide and some water-based play features.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
700 W 125th St., Harlem, NY 10027
604 Union St., Brooklyn, NY 11215
Hungry after a long day of dinosaur exploration? This restaurant with two NYC locations is the perfect way to end the day!
With a Dino Kids menu and gluten-free options, this place is perfect for the whole family! Be sure to try the dinos sliders and dino burger, or grab a Dino Marg off the drink menu!
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