Dinosaur Museums and Other Attractions Everyone Will Love

Whether you’re interested in paleontology exhibits indoors or out, you’re sure to find the perfect experience

At these museums and park sites, dinophiles can enjoy seeing real fossils, life-size replicas and immersive exhibits. Here, “Allosaurus” and “Stegosaurus” battle at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Jamilya Khalilulina/Alamy Stock Photo

Kristen Pope,

Updated May 05, 2026

AARP

En español

Updated May 05, 2026

Key takeaways

Many dinosaur attractions now offer hands-on experiences, from quarry walks to guided digs.
Accessibility varies, with some sites offering wheelchair access.
Dinosaur-focused trips can appeal across generations, combining outdoor time and shared discovery.

Everyone can appreciate the ancient world of dinosaurs, be it the towering Tyrannosaurus rex, the triple-horned Triceratops or the Stegosaurus with a line of armored plates. Dinophiles of all ages can enjoy seeing real fossils, life-size replicas, immersive exhibits, observing paleontologists and taking a guided adventure at a dino dig site.

For 57 percent of adults 50-plus, spending time with family and friends is a top travel motivator, according to the 2026 AARP Travel Trends survey. These fun dinosaur-focused locations provide great opportunities for loved ones to gather, explore and learn together.

Fossils representing more than 10 dinosaur species, including “Utahraptor,” above, and “Moabosaurus” are found at Utahraptor State Park.

Elisabeth Brentano/Utah Office of Tourism

Utahraptor State Park, Utah

In May 2025, a new Utah state park dedicated to dinosaurs opened, called Utahraptor State Park. Fifteen miles from Moab the park contains over 5,500 fossils representing more than 10 dinosaur species, including Utahraptor and Moabosaurus. The park protects the Dalton Wells Dinosaur Quarry site — a great spot for ranger-led interpretive dinosaur hikes where you learn the park’s history. Outside the park, you can visit dinosaur tracks and fossil sites in the area.

Brad Walker, park manager of Utahraptor State Park, says the park “makes a perfect ‘base camp’ for exploring Earth’s prehistoric past, offering a unique opportunity to see active preservation and ancient history in one stunning landscape.” He suggests visiting tracksites in the area to see fossilized footprints, including Mill Canyon, Poison Spider and Willow Springs, but be aware that four-wheel drive is recommended to visit some locations in and near the park.

There are no paved trails in the park, but the Utahraptor Historic Trail, a 0.5-mile round-trip, is wide enough for wheelchairs.

Admission: A day Pass is $15 per vehicle.

the Green River at the Gates of Lodore in the park

Dinosaur National Monument was established in 1915 to protect the dinosaur fossils that were discovered there. Here, the Green River at the Gates of Lodore in the park.

Jim West/Alamy Stock Photo

Dinosaur National Monument, Utah and Colorado

Straddling the border between Colorado and Utah, Dinosaur National Monument was established in 1915 to protect the dinosaur fossils that were discovered there in 1909. Stop by the Quarry Exhibit Hall to see 1,500 dinosaur relics embedded in a sandstone “wall of bones.”

“Most museums showcase dinosaur fossils as completed puzzles, but here you can see (and even touch) bones of 10 different species of Jurassic dinosaurs all jumbled up, waiting for your imagination to piece things together,” says Dan Johnson, program manager for interpretation, education and visitor services at Dinosaur National Monument.

Hiking the 2.4-mile out-and-back Fossil Discovery Trail is a great way to explore and spot unexcavated fossils. There are paved scenic drives on each side of the park. If needed, wheelchairs may be available upon request for use at the park. Visitors of all ages can also participate in the Junior Ranger program, where you explore the park site and pledge to keep the park safe, then earn a badge.

Admission: $25 per vehicle.

The Wyoming Dinosaur Center features more than 70 dinosaur skeletons and offers guided experiences at fossil dig sites.

Wyoming Office of Tourism

The Wyoming Dinosaur Center, Wyoming

The Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis showcases exhibits featuring more than 70 dinosaur skeletons, fossils from around the world, a touch table and a fossil collection spanning the Jurassic to the Cretaceous.

It also allows visitors to join guided experiences at real fossil dig sites through a variety of programs, including the Dig for a Day full-day experience for ages 3 and up. The quarry site is not wheelchair accessible, but the indoor exhibits and facilities are.

“These are real excavation sites where scientifically important fossils are being uncovered each season,” says Angie Guyon, executive director of the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. “Dinosaur discovery is still happening here. The Wyoming Dinosaur Center is not only preserving the past; it is actively uncovering it.”

Admission: Museum only: $12 for those 13-64; $10 for 65-plus, veterans and children 4-12. Dig site: $14.50 for those 13-64; $12.50 for 65-plus, veterans and children 4-12. Museum and dig site: $22.50 for 13-64; $18.50 for 65-plus, veterans and children 4-12.

Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Colorado

Step into the Denver Museum of Nature & Science to see the Prehistoric Journey permanent exhibit, including a scene with a battling Allosaurus and Stegosaurus. Also, be sure to see Teen Rex, a rare specimen of an adolescent dinosaur that is one of four in the world, and the Teen Rex Prep Lab, which provides interactive workshops and lectures with paleontologists.

“The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has one of the most active field paleontology programs in the country,” says Natalie Toth, chief fossil preparator, who collects and prepares fossils at the museum. “Each year our team is successfully collecting dinosaurs across the American West and around the world and making new discoveries about Earth’s ancient dinosaur ecosystems.”

Wheelchairs and closed-captioning devices are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is also wheelchair seating in its theater and planetarium.

Admission: Museum only: $25.95 for adults; $22.95 for 65-plus; $20.95 for youth 3-18. Additional fees for select exhibits and shows.

Field Museum, Illinois

In Chicago’s Field Museum, make sure to check out Sue, which is known for being both the physically largest (at 40 feet long and 13 feet high at the hip) and the most complete (with around 90 percent of the pieces) Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever discovered. “Families are drawn to SUE’s gallery because it’s immersive and interactive — you’re not just observing a fossil; you’re stepping into the world of T. rex,” says Bridgette Russell, senior director of marketing and communications for Field Museum.

Additionally, be sure to see the museum’s Máximo the Titanosaur, a 122-foot-long cast that’s even longer than a blue whale, and many other displays exploring more than 4 billion years of life on Earth.

Wheelchairs are available for use, while elevators provide access to all three public floors. Free guided tours are also available.

Admission: $30 for adults; $23 for children 3-11; $3 discount for 65-plus. Additional fees for exhibits and shows.

visitors gather around a dinosaur exhibit at a museum

Visitors gather around “Barosaurus” and “Allosaurus” in the rotunda at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History, New York

Allow plenty of time to explore the fossil halls of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. You can see specimens such as a Tyrannosaurus rex, a 122-foot-long Titanosaur cast and a stunning Stegosaurus . Explore the “Impact: The End of the Age of Dinosaurs” ticketed exhibition, which includes a recreation of an asteroid collision, and the mass extinction that followed. The museum’s fourth floor features fossil-focused halls, including the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs and the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs.

Wheelchairs are available at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis. Visual descriptions and assistive listening devices are available in some exhibits.

Admission: $37 for adults, $30 for adults 60-plus, people with disabilities and students; $22 for children 3-12. Additional fees for ticketed exhibits.

Yale Peabody Museum, Connecticut

In New Haven, Connecticut, explore the Yale Peabody Museum’s Burke Hall to be immersed in “Life Among Dinosaurs.” Spend time gazing at The Age of Reptiles mural and enjoy exhibits featuring Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus and even Deinonychus, which inspired the fictional velociraptors of Jurassic Park. The museum also offers unique experiences, such as the opportunity to do yoga among the dinosaurs on select days.

Wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There are also seating and rest spaces throughout the museum. Audio descriptions are available for some exhibits, while captioning is provided for video content.

Admission: Free.

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The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Kristen Pope is a freelance writer who covers travel, outdoor recreation, wildlife, stargazing, conservation and science for publications like National Geographic, Smithsonian, Travel + Leisure and many others.

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