Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center
Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center in Woodland Park is a 12,000-square-foot fossil museum in the shadow of Pikes Peak, filled with Cretaceous dinosaurs, giant sea reptiles and pterosaurs from across North America.
Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center in Woodland Park, CO
The Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center (RMDRC) focuses on North America’s Cretaceous Period, the last age of the dinosaurs, when a shallow sea covered much of the continent. That means you get more than dinosaurs: mounted skeletons of mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, giant fish and flying reptiles share the hall with duck-billed dinosaurs and tyrannosaurs. Bright graphics and life-restoration sculptures help kids and adults picture these animals in their ancient worlds.
The museum’s staff head into the field every year to dig Cretaceous fossils, and their finds include what the museum describes as the most complete Pteranodon and the most complete Pachycephalosaurus specimens, along with one of the largest Tylosaurs ever discovered. Through windows into a working paleontology lab, you can watch new specimens being freed from rock and restored. A guided tour of the exhibits is included with admission. It is only about 30 minutes west of Colorado Springs, so pair it with Garden of the Gods or Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument farther up Highway 24.
Insider tip: Last entry is 30 minutes before closing, and the museum may close in bad weather, so check its Facebook page on snowy days. Birthday party packages and group, school and senior tours are available by calling ahead; group tours must be booked at least a week in advance.
Photo Gallery
Photo credits: Edmontosaurus Family Clean by MCDinosaurhunter (CC BY-SA 3.0); RMDRC Tight Cropped by MCDinosaurhunter (CC BY-SA 3.0); Nanotyrannus Clean by MCDinosaurhunter (CC BY-SA 3.0); Tylosaurus kansasensis Clean by MCDinosaurhunter (CC BY-SA 3.0); Elasomosaurus Face Clean by MCDinosaurhunter (CC BY-SA 3.0); Oviraptorid Clean by MCDinosaurhunter (CC BY-SA 3.0); Xiphactinus Clean by MCDinosaurhunter (CC BY-SA 3.0); Albertosaurus Clean by MCDinosaurhunter (CC BY-SA 3.0); Dimorphodon Flight Pose by MCDinosaurhunter (CC BY-SA 3.0). Images via Wikimedia Commons.
News & Events
The Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center is open year-round, seven days a week, but will be closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Adult admission is $13, with military, senior and group discounts. See rmdrc.com for events.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center hours?
The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry 30 minutes before closing. It closes on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
How much does it cost?
Adults are $13, seniors 65 and older are $12, children 5 to 12 are $9, and kids 4 and under are free. A military discount is offered with current ID.
What can you see at the Dinosaur Resource Center?
Fossil skeletons from North America’s Cretaceous Period, including dinosaurs, marine reptiles such as mosasaurs and plesiosaurs, and pterosaurs, plus a working fossil lab you can watch through the windows.
Is a tour included?
Yes. A tour of the museum with a trained staff member is included with admission.
What is near the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center?
Florissant Fossil Beds is west on Highway 24, Mueller State Park is south toward Divide, and Manitou Springs is on the drive back toward Colorado Springs.
The Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center is at 201 S. Fairview Street, Woodland Park, CO 80863. Call (719) 686-1820, email custserv@rmdrc.com, or visit rmdrc.com.