My wife was looking up placed to go see dinosaurs bones and this one appears to be the closest to our house.

The next closest is in Utah and we both went... umm no. Mormon motherland and vacation is not our idea of fun.

Anybody been to this museum?

We'd go up through Spokane and Sandpoint. Probably stopping to fish and explore in Idaho etc.

The other option is to go to the Oregon Coast and play on the beach, tidepools, crabbing, clamming, fishing etc.

The Royal Tyrell is an excellent museum. We visited it when my kids were around 10 or so, and it was a great experience. The displays are well done and are interesting for a variety of age groups. My kids loved it.

A bit of a drive from anywhere. I do remember there is a fossil field in the vicinity that is also quite interesting. Also other exhibits in Montana and Wyoming, but Utah has excellent exhibits near Vernal and U of U. and some fake exhibits near Provo.

The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology in Drumheller, AB is a world class facility. The museum and the surrounding area are spectacular. Horseshoe Canyon is just west of "Drum" and offers helicopter rides into the canyon and the Red Deer River valley. I highly recommend it.
There are good hotels in Drumheller and you're just over an hour from Calgary. Enjoy your trip and report your experience here. If you're coming up I-15 wave as you pass the big P&H grain terminal just before Lethridge.

RB

World Class dino' museum, except that you'll have to see Utahraptors... :-)

Oh, and Drumheller will be instantly recognizable if you've ever seen the original 'Life Is A Highway' video.

When I was a boy, I went to see dinosaur bones at a museum. My father told me the bones came from another planet six thousand years ago. The museum signage indicated an entirely different date and gave an earthly location for the creature's habitat. I had to do some reading to figure out who was right and who was full of fossilized dung.

Science books are too heavy for a shelf built on lies and threats of corporal punishment.

Last summer my wife's cousins from W. Virginia were here for a family reunion. The are firm believers in the 6000 year old earth deal and the moon landing never happened, etc, etc. So they were taken to The Royal Tyrrell.....and they were very quiet about it afterwords. The seed of doubt got planted.

RB

There is another stop you might be interested...head smashed in buffalo jump...my kids always loved it and still do...just a few miles off the beaten track but on the way to tyrrel museum...bones arent quite as old but a piece of not so distant history...tyrrel museum is worth the trip...quite a place

Yes, Head Smashed In is another great stop as well. It's well worth the visit if the OP is able to make a kind of circle tour of southern Alberta.

Head Smashed In is a United Nations World Heritage Site BTW.

RB

When we visited there was a great demonstration by first people's interpreter. My sons remember him to this day.

Be sure to ask the museum curator/tour guide why they think God chose not to save the dinosaurs from the Flood (the Ark was plenty big enough!). Tell them you're not leaving the museum until you get a satisfying answer.

Return and report.

; )



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2016 01:39AM by lurking in.

There are alot of museums in Oregon. There are old fashion boardwalks also. Seaside aquarium. Tillamook cheese. The Coast Guard museum in Astoria is beyond belief! Caspe Disappointment. Tacoma, the glass arts

Dinosaur Provincial Park is really good if you want to see where fossils were found. I'm not sure you are still allowed to hike in the areas but several years ago you could see fossils on the surface of the ground. It is is in the middle of nowhere, but worth the trip for budding paleontologists.

The Royal Tyrrell is excellent. I was there years ago and was able to go on a day-long fossil dig that was great. It was age-limited though, so if they still do it, small children cannot participate. But the museum itself is excellent.

The Tyrrell is involved in digs near to my farm too. Pretty exiting to live here in the middle of it all. And this is 25 minutes drive from me.
http://www.devilscoulee.com/
RB



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2016 06:58PM by Lethbridge Reprobate.

When are you going? If it's in the summer I could give you plenty of suggestions for North Idaho fun.

My poor six year old wrestled deeply in his soul for this one. The beach or dinosaur bones was a terribly difficult choice. At first he replied "I want to do both!" After explaining carefully that is is one or the other he finally encouraged by his older brother decided "Beach".

It looks like we'll be heading down to the Coos Bay region. I have been all over the Oregon coast years ago and always liked that area the best. My wife and kids have never been to most of the Oregon coast having spent 11 years in CA up until this past summer.

If there is time, we can take them to see Crater Lake and the spot my wife and I got married at. Might even see if I can convince her to make the hike to the lake again.