Dinosaurs Live! at the Heard Museum
McKinney, Texas
Come face to face with life-sized animatronic dinosaurs that move and roar at the Dinosaurs Live! exhibit at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary. This is a great event for the whole family to get out in nature, learn about dinosaurs, hike nature trails and still have time to visit the rest of the Heard Museum including pioneer village, indoor and outdoor animal exhibits, seasonal butterfly garden, and indoor educational exhibits. The Dinosaurs Live! exhibit features 10 moving and roaring dinosaurs, 5 static photo op dinosaurs, and an outdoor fossil dig all included in the regular admission price!
The Dinosaurs Live! exhibit is a loop trail, and each dinosaur includes educational information about their location, habitat, diet, and special characteristics. The trail is rugged, and is not wheelchair or stroller friendly, however a jogging stroller with rugged tires would work.
Don’t miss the chance to experience walking through Jurassic time period and see dinosaurs including kid favorites such as Tyrannosaurus rex, Dilophosaurus, Allosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Megalosaurus, and Utahraptor. This is a must see for junior paleontologists and the lifelike moving dinosaurs make this a very interactive experience.
There is one dinosaur to crawl on for fun experience and a photo op. Kids can imagine what it would be like to ride a dinosaur across the prairie.
Kids will run ahead with excitement to see the next dinosaur, and it’s a good time to remind them to stay with their grownups for safety. As a wildlife refuge, there are snakes and bugs that are an important part of the ecosystem. As much as poison ivy is attempted to be tamed, it’s still prevalent in Texas.
The loop trail does not go too far from the main entrance and museum, so this short lap is great for kids and grownups of all ages. You are never too far from the outdoor restroom facility.
The kid-favorite Tyrannosaurus rex stands at 46 ft tall and moves and roars for a lifelike experience. This fella weighed over 10,000 pounds and ran 17 miles per hour!
Who can resist crawling on a dinosaur? It’s a great rest stop under the trees along the loop trail. Look out on the prairie for the deer that live here.
The Heard Museum is one of our favorite places to go, and you can read all about the museum and preserve on this post.
Special needs:
Trails are dirt or gravel, but too uneven for wheelchairs or regular stroller. Jogging strollers with rugged tires will work for most trails. For toddlers consider carrier if that works for your child. While these are lifelike moving dinosaurs, they are not scary and there is plenty of room on the trail to keep your distance if you want to walk past them.
Know before you go:
Check out their COVID-19 changes and restrictions including face masks here.
Closed Mondays. Check website for special hours and events.
Bring insect repellant and sunscreen.
There are picnic tables under the trees, so bring a snack or lunch.
Watch for snakes, spiders and poison ivy by staying on the trail.
How to get there:
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
1 Nature Place
McKinney, TX 75069
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