Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center facts for kids
Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center viewed from US Highway 24 in Woodland Park, Colorado
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| Established | May 2004 |
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| Location | U.S. Highway 24 at Fairview Street Woodland Park, Colorado |
| Type | Natural history |
| Visitors | About 100,000 annually |
Welcome to the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center! This amazing museum is all about fossils from the Late Cretaceous period in North America. You'll see incredible dinosaurs, flying pterosaurs, ancient sea creatures, and fish.
The museum even has a special lab where scientists prepare real fossils. There's also a large gift shop to explore. Friendly guides give tours, sharing cool facts about each fossil and the ancient animals they came from. This center is also the main office for Triebold Paleontology Incorporated, the company that finds and prepares many of these fossils.
Contents
Discovering the Past: History of the Center
The Dinosaur Resource Center first opened its doors in May 2004. It was created to be a place to store and show off the amazing fossils found by Triebold Paleontology Incorporated.
The museum displays both real fossils and detailed copies. You can see dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and a huge collection of sea creatures from the Late Cretaceous period. Many of these marine fossils come from the shale and chalk beds of Western Kansas.
Since it opened, the center has shown many important original fossils. These include the first-ever discovered specimens of Anzu wyliei and Mercuriceratops gemini. Some fossils displayed here are so new, they haven't even been officially named yet!
Exploring the Exhibits
The museum has two main halls filled with fossils. One hall focuses on land animals like dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and ancient mammals. The other hall is dedicated to marine life, such as fish, mosasaurs (giant sea lizards), and plesiosaurs (long-necked sea reptiles).
Many of the real fossils are "tactile exhibits." This means you can actually touch them! There's also a special kids' corner where you can have fun. It has a touchscreen with 3D digital models and hands-on activities. You can even try a fossil dig station or solve puzzles.
Where to Find the Museum
The Dinosaur Resource Center is located in Woodland Park, Colorado. You can find it on the south side of U.S. Highway 24 (Colorado) at Fairview Street.
Gallery
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The front of a Thescelosaurus skeleton.
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A fossil of Saurodon leanus.
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The skull of a Plioplatecarpus.
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A Pachycephalosaurus fossil.
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A cast of an Anzu wyliei skeleton.
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Dorygnathus in flight.
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Martinectes bonneri.
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A cast of Albertosaurus.
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The skull of Meniscoessus.
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A Daspletosaurus torosus fossil.
