Travel back to the Mesozoic Era at Woodland Park’s Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center

WOODLAND PARK, Colo. (KKTV) - You’ve probably seen the giant dinosaur statues along Highway 24, but have you ever stopped to check them out?

11 News Good News Friday reporter Lindsey Grewe recently took a trip back to the Mesozoic Era, which -- who knew? -- was just a 20-mile journey from Colorado Springs to Woodland Park!

The Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center boasts everything from fossil skeletons and skeleton casts to knowledgeable experts on the floor ready to answer any and every question your kids might have! Grewe recently visited with friends’ kids and can attest: EVERY question led to a discussion!

The Resource Center doesn’t just contain displays -- real work is done behind the scene.

“We are not only a museum but also a real working lab and facility. We actually go out every single summer to find fossils, to find new exhibits,” said Erika Walter, a tour guide at the resource center.

The Resource Center is also the only place in the world that does 3-D models of prehistoric fish and marine life. If you’ve seen any of these models at other museums, guess what: they all came from Woodland Park!

The Resource Center also hosts several family events in the spring and summer. And they’re not all dinosaurs: the center’s calendar lists everything from dog shows to a model train event.

“We have three big summer events happening,” Walter said. “The first one will be June 3. That’s our Family Fun Day. We will have things outdoors. The outdoor portion of it will be free; you can come and see what’s going on. We will have artists and a hot dog guy!

“We have a critter rescue in August. That critter rescue is pretty special, and I think really unique because we provide a free voucher for families that adopt an animal that day to come back to the museum at a different date.”

If you’re looking to travel back in time or just enjoy a unique day out for your kids, we have a link to the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center website here and its calendar of events here.

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