Dinosaurs Unearthed at Kansas City's Union Station!

   Two weeks ago, I went Behind the Scenes at Dinosaurs Unearthed to watch the construction of the Mega Exhibit making its Kansas City debut at Union Station on May 1st. As an adult, I was fascinated and intrigued by the LARGEST collection of dinosaur fossils, fossil replicas, and animatronic dinosaurs outside of China, but the big question has been, "What will the KIDS think?"

    Today, the "behind the scenes crew" of KCParent.com... our own children... were given front row seats along with almost 100 other Kansas City kids from local schools to attend the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and exclusive sneak preview of Dinosaurs Unearthed!

So, what do Kansas City Kids think of Dinosaurs Unearthed?

(We asked children ages 2 - 10 what they thought of Dinosaurs Unearthed.)

• What did you think of the exhibit? What were your FAVORITE things? The kids thought the exhibit was "amazingly cool." Without a doubt the #1 Highlight is the "Move a Dinosaur" exhibits where they push buttons controlling the movements of life-sized dinosaurs! Dinosaurs swing their tails, blink their eyes, breathe, snort, roar, and move in lifelike ways engaging the imagination of children as they see what it would be like to meet a living T-Rex face to face! Additional favorites included interactive computer games, fossil digs, and digital quizzes to see how much you learned through the exhibit.
• Were the dinosaurs scary? The answer to this question varied from child to child. My children LOVED the dinosaurs and weren't scared at all, and I found this to be true for most of the children who visited the exhibit. The kids quickly realized the dinosaurs were animatronic (not real, though tremendously lifelike) and they weren't going to move toward them or become too intimidating. Some children had to warm up to the dinosaurs a bit, but they all seemed to really enjoy the dinosaurs and interacting with them. There are a few dinosaurs outside Union Station and in the Grand Hall. We recommend taking your children to see these dinosaurs first to see their response if you are concerned about fears. Our photo gallery (below) may also help to determine how your children will respond to the exhibit.
• What did you learn? One of the marvelous aspects of the exhibit is the shear size of the dinosaurs and the fossils. You can describe the size of a dinosaur through images and books, but seeing one face to face brings an entirely different perspective. The children also learned a lot about fossil exploration, dinosaur names and types, and the attributes of dinosaurs from real dinosaur teeth and bones, to fossils showing feathers.
• What do you remember most? The T Rex and Triceratops made the most lasting impression for my children!
• What do you see at Dinosaurs Unearthed? Dinosaurs Unearthed impresses visitors both young and old as they learn about the latest fossil research from the 1996 dig in the Liaoning Province of China, where feathered fossils were first discovered. The exhibit features 40 real fossils, fossil replicas, an imitation archaeological site, and 24 life-sized dinosaurs that come to life demonstrating the sights, sounds, and movements of these now extinct creatures.
• This exhibit is described as "Edutainment," a blend of education and entertainment...so was it fun? YES! Kansas City kids had a great time and considered it to be great fun exploring and meeting Dinosaurs up close and personal... they all said they would like to come back and would recommend it to friends!
• The Facts: Dinosaurs Unearthed is a one-of-a-kind exhibit ONLY in Kansas City! Don't miss your opportunity to see it this summer at Union Station (30 W. Pershing, Kansas City, MO)! The exhibit opens on May 1st and is open Tues- Sat 10am-5pm, Sunday noon-5pm.

After the Exhibit: Build-A-Dino at Union Station

If you're looking for a souvenir that will be a GIGANTIC hit with your Dino Lovers, check out the BRAND NEW Build-A-Dino at Union Station! Children choose one of nine dinosaurs to "make their own" dino friend! Several of the dinosaurs are also featured in the exhibit including the T-Rex, Triceratops, Brachiosaurus, and Velociraptor. Kids choose a dino, give it a heart, stuff it with fluff, and select an outfit for their new dinosaur friend! The store carries an exclusive Union Station T-Shirt for your Dino for just $6. They also carry "already stuffed" mini dinosaurs. Prices for stuff-your-own Dinos range from $12-22 and outfits range from $6-20 (depending on the number of accessories and pieces chosen). Follow KCParent.com on Facebook to learn how YOU could win a Build-A-Dino Gift Card!

 

BONUS: KCParent.com's Photo Gallery: Ribbon Cutting Day at Dinosaurs Unearthed in Kansas City!

 (Note: You must have a Shockwave Flash Media Player installed to view these photos.)

 

MORE News from Union Station Kansas City:

• New Membership Packages at Union Station
• More information about Science City DinoLab
• Dino Birthday Parties at Union Station
• Union Station partnered with Build a Bear to bring Build a Dino to Union Station. Children make their very own stuffed Dinosaur inside Union Station next to the Dino exhibit.
• In conjunction with the exhibit, visit the Regnier Extreme Screen to see Dinosaurs Alive! 3-D

You Might Also Be Interested In:

• EVEN MORE Dinosaur Fun in Kansas City
• Behind the Scenes at Dinosaurs Unearthed