Dinosaur State Park, Connecticut

Dinosaur State Park bills itself as one of the largest sites of dinosaur tracks in North America.

It's a wonderful museum for kids. The way the park is set up is pleasing to both adults and youngsters of all ages. It has a lot of information presented in a format that is detailed enough for an adult, but interesting to a child. There are a lot of interactive exhibits. The museum is small enough to go through in about and hour so the little ones won't get tired.

Dinosaur State Park is located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut and is easy to get to from Exit 23 of I-91. It's easy off -- easy on. There is ample parking and it is handicapped accessible. If you wish to bring lunch, there are picnic tables outdoors.

The grounds surrounding the museum dome is an arboretum containting over 250 labeled plants. There are also walking trails.

On Saturdays there are films as well as craft making activities for children. In season, there is casting allowed of the outdoor footprints.

And, oh yes, there is a gift shop with everything dinosaur you can think of.

This is the link to the Dinosaur State Park website. Here you can find the days and hours that they are opened. Directions and information on special crafts classes, lectures and directions.

DINOSAUR STATE PARK HOME PAGE

There are admission fees which are listed here. As with other Connecticut State Parks, admission is free to seniors over 65 years old who have obtained a Charter Oak Pass.

INFORMATION ON OBTAINING A CHARTER OAK PASS

You will see a steam shovel bucket as you enter. This is the exhibit of how construction was started on State property and as the operator moved earth, he discovered the dinosaur footprints which are now the exhibit. Construction was stopped.

The first descriptive banner explains the history of the establishment of the museum and the the arboretum. A glimpse of the banner is shown in this module

You will see a geological description of the different layers of rocks and at what level the footprints were found. One section shows how the rock layers look where there is a rock fault.

Each layer of rock is labeled as to its composition and there is information about the time they were formed and how they were formed.