If you have any dinosaur fans at home, you know that they can’t seem to stop stomping around or sharing their latest dinosaur fact. Did you know that chickens are descendants from dinosaurs? Or that dinosaur fossils have been found on all seven continents?
Let’s just say dinosaurs aren’t going out of style anytime soon. As dinosaurs continue to rule the world, there are some Chicagoland attractions to get your dino fix like The Field Museum and Bess Bower Dunn Museum.
But do you want to go on the ultimate dinosaur hunt? Check out these dino-mite Midwest spots your whole family will love. And for more family travel fun along the way , check out these Midwest caves and waterfalls.
This article was recently updated on March 27, 2024 by Chicago Parent’s Assistant Editor, Nikki Roberts. The update included her research and fact-checking expertise to provide the latest information on Midwest dinosaur attractions, aligning with Chicago Parent’s mission to provide the top parenting resources for local families. Questions? Please reach out to nikki@chicagoparent.com.
Dinosaur Attractions in Illinois
Bess Bower Dunn Museum
- Address: 1899 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville
- Cost: $6-$10/adults, $3-$6/ages 4-17 and seniors 62+, free/children 3 and under
In the museum’s Prehistoric Lake County collection, stand up close to the world’s most scientifically accurate Dryptosaurus, complete with fleshed out skin, protofeathers and claws. Then try a hand at pit digging to find an ancient treasure. Offers discounts on Tuesdays.
Burpee Museum of Natural History
- Address: 737 N. Main St., Rockford
- Cost: $12/ages 13 and older, $10/ages 4-12, free/children 3 and under
Take a look at Jane, the most complete juvenile T. rex. In her exhibit, “Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur”, you can see what happened during the 66 million years she lay buried. From there, see Homer the Triceratops, in his exhibit, “Homer’s Odyssey”. Also, explore the Pleistocene in their second floor Ice Age exhibit.
Chicago Children’s Museum
- Address: 700 E. Grand Ave., Chicago
- Note: $21 for tickets purchased online
Step into the museum’s “Dinosaur Expedition”. This recreation involves Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno’s team exploring a recreated Saharan expedition. You can even find a life-size Suchomimus skeleton in a huge dino pit. Advanced ticket purchases are recommended.
The Field Museum
- Address: 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
- Cost: $14-$30, free for children under 3 years old
We all know and love Sue, Chicago’s famous Tyrannosaurus rex that calls the Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet its home. In the exhibit, you can learn even more about Sue, a 40-foot long and 90 percent complete T. rex. You also can’t forget about Máximo, the largest Titanosaur ever discovered, and the new Spinosaurus!
Jurassic Gardens
- Address: 27582 Volo Village Road, Volo
- Cost: $16.95/general admission, free/ages 4 and under
Embark on a thrilling prehistoric adventure at the indoor Jurassic Gardens with 30+ lifelike animatronic dinosaurs, an arcade, fossil dig, and a dino-lab. There’s a gift shop and plenty of photo opportunities to capture the occasion.
Wisconsin
Dinosaur Discovery Museum
- Address: 5608 10th Ave., Kenosha
- Cost: Free; suggested donation $5/person at the door
Hang out with more than 20 meat eating dinosaurs! In their exhibit, “Little Clint: The Story of a Baby Dinosaur”, kids can follow the journey of a juvenile T. rex (excavated in Montana) from its birth to being displayed in a museum. Participate in the I Spy Activity to receive a prize at the end of your visit.
Milwaukee Public Museum
- Address: 800 W. Wells St., Milwaukee
- Cost: $24/ages 14-64, $20/ages 65+ and military/college, $18/ages 4-13, free/ages 3 and under
The Third Planet exhibit features dinosaurs in a diorama complete with thunder and the roaring of a life-sized replica of T. rex. Milwaukee Public Museum was one of the first museums to recreate life-sized dinosaur models in their natural habitat.
University of Wisconsin Geology Museum
- Address: 1215 W. Dayton St., Madison
- Cost: Free
Kids will dig the Edmontosaurus and Triceratops, and a roomful of other dinosaurs in this small “gem” of a museum. Stick around and explore other real gems, a cool fluorescent display and extraterrestrial geology.
Indiana
Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
- Address: 3000 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis
- Cost: Ticket prices depend on date; check website
The dinosaurs on the outside of the building welcome guests, but you’ll find even more indoors. Inside, visitors can explore the “Dinosphere” in five immersive experiences. They include Giants Jurassic, Creatures of the Cretaceous, Monsters of the Mesozoic Seas, Art Lab and Paleo Lab.
Michigan
Canterbury Village Dino & Dragon Stroll
May 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26, 2024
- Address: 2359 Joslyn Ct., Lake Orion
- Cost: 2024 pricing TBA; free for children ages 2 and under
Find 75 animatronic dinosaurs, most of which stand over over 28 feet tall and spanning over 60 feet long. See the T-Rex, Velociraptors, Stegosaurus and more. You can also explore dinosaur skeletons, fossils, eggs and more. Live music, fire-breathing dragons and strolling dinosaurs, too.
Cranbrook Institute of Science
- Address: 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills
- Cost: $14/adults, $10.50/ages 2-12 and seniors 65+, free/children under 2 and members
Come face-to-face with the full-sized T. rex skeleton, the jaws of a megalodon, the saber-tooth cat and the mastodon displays. Learn about the ice age, who survived it (and who didn’t), discover dinosaur features and much more.
Dinosaur Garden
Reopens May 25, 2024
- Address: 11160 US-23, Ossineke
- Cost: $3/fossil dig, $6/mini golf, $10/walking tour, $24.99/dino pass, $34.99/dino pass plus, $39.99/explorer pass
This one-of-a-kind park, which opened in the 1930s, is filled with reproductions of life-sized dinosaurs including pterodactyls, T. rex and the mighty triceratops. Dinosaurs are set against natural scenery and guests can pose with the statues. There are plenty of photo opportunities along with a fossil dig, mini-golf course and a frozen yogurt bar, too.
Prehistoric Amusement Park
- Address: 8203 US-12, Onsted
This roadside attraction‘s old-school vibe that features full-size fiberglass dinosaurs and a man-made volcano. Once upon a time, this attraction was booming but fell victim to the rerouted interstates. You can still see the dinosaurs but since this park is located on private property, you must get the landowner’s permission, first.
University of Michigan Museum of Natural History
- Address: 1105 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor
- Cost: Free; donations appreciated
Explore “Dinosaur Discoveries: Ancient Fossils, New Ideas,” which showcases the latest dinosaur science from the past two decades. Fossils, computer simulations and life-like models will allow guests to discover how dinos looked, moved, behaved and became extinct, based on the newest interpretations of ancient fossils.
Ohio
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
- Address: 1 Wade Oval Drive, Cleveland
- Cost: $10/adults 19+, $7/ages 60+ and ages 3-18, free/ages 0-2 (tickets still required)
Meet “Happy,” a 70-foot-long “Haplocanthosaurus delfsi” sauropod, plus other dinosaur friends in the Kirtland Hall of Prehistoric Life. You’ll also find Coelophysis Bauri, the museum’s oldest dinosaur (closed during construction; check online for updates of re-opening of this exhibit). Advance tickets are required.
COSI: Center of Science and Industry
- Address: 333 W. Broad St., Columbus
- Cost: $30/adults 13+, $25/children 2-12, free/children ages 2 and under
See a full-size cast skeleton of a T. rex or the 60-foot-long metallic model of the long-necked Apatosaurus. With a one-of-a-kind partnership with the American Museum of Natural History, there are many interactive and educational elements to learn from.
Orton Geological Museum
- Address: 155 S. Oval Mall, Columbus
- Cost: Free
Arrange for a free tour of the Museum Gallery by calling or emailing the museum. All ages are welcome to the tour and there are even virtual tours available. Visitors will enjoy taking photos with life-size skeletal displays of their favorite dinos and looking at other prehistoric fossils, too.
Minnesota
The Science Museum of Minnesota
- Address: 120 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul
- Cost: $29.95/adults, $19.95/ages 4-17
Get a chance to see one of only four real Triceratops on display in the world. Plus, it’s the museum’s largest complete specimen on display. You also can’t miss the 80-foot long Diplodocus that your kids will love to snap a photo with.
Kansas
Fick Fossil & History Museum
- Address: 700 W. 3rd St., Oakley
- Cost: Free
You can see the oldest known mosasaur fossil, with its eye socket is intact along with more than 11,000 shark teeth and a 15-foot Xiphactinus Audax.
Field Station: Dinosaurs
- Address: 2999 N. Rock Road, Derby
- Cost: $16.75/ages 12-plus, $15.75/seniors 62+, $13.75/ages 2-11
Your kids will be amazed by the 10 dino-infested acres with 40 life-size animatronic dinosaurs. Find out which dinosaurs were unique to Kansas, then dig for fossils and play Jurassic Golf, explore the Raptor Maze and more.
Keystone Gallery
- Address: 401 Main St., Scott City
- Cost: Call for prices.
Spot a 20-foot Mosasaur and 14-foot Xiphactinus, plus other fish, turtle and bird fossils.
KU Natural History Museum
- Address: 1345 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence
- Cost: Suggested donation of $7/adults, $4/children
Take a photo with Annabelle, a 50-foot-long, 140-million-year-old Camarasaurus. There’s also the skeleton of one of the first vertebrates, the Pteranodon and a 16-foot-long bony fish, the Xiphactinus, which was first discovered in Kansas in the 1850s.
Museum at Prairiefire
- Address: 5801 W. 135th St., Overland Park
- Cost: $5/admission, free/veterans
Meet AMNH 5027, the first complete T. rex ever assembled by famous paleontologist and Kansas native Barnum Brown. The Discovery Room awaits those interested in more hands-on fun, including Paleontology.
Museum of World Treasures
- Address: 835 E. 1st St., Wichita
- Cost: $10.95/adults, $8.95/seniors 65+, $8.95/ages 4-12, free/ages 3 and under, $35.95/family day pass: 2 adults, 2 youth
Dinosaur fans can wave to Ivan the T. rex, Cutie the Daspletosaurus and Ed the Edmontosaurus, along with a number of other prehistoric fossils. For more interactive fun, there is a fossil and cast touching station.
Sternberg Museum
- Address: 3000 Sternberg Drive, Hays
- Cost: $10/ages 13-59, $9/seniors 60+, $7/ages 4-12, free/ages 3 and under
Walk through the land and sea diorama complete with a life-sized animated model of a T. rex. Ever see a fish within a fish fossil? This, along with other Cretaceous Period fossils can be found here.
South Dakota
Dinosaur Park
- Address: 940 Skyline Drive, Rapid City, South Dakota
- Cost: Free
Get lost in this totally fun road trip diversion, Dinosaur Park, which lures travelers and dino lovers with their life-size, concrete and steel dinosaur sculptures. Note: Dinosaur Park is being revamped and will reopen on May 1, 2024.
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