Thanksgiving Point: Museum of Ancient Life

If you've ever driven past Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, UT, then you've probably seen the building with the huge dinosaur on the front.  Most people refer to this as the "Dinosaur Museum".  It is actually called the Museum of Ancient Life, as it covers more than just dinosaurs, and is one of the largest museums of its kind in the country.  My kids are still fairly young but the great thing about this museum is that it caters to all ages.  We saw lots of people with small children like mine, but there were also scout troops, teenagers, adults, and everyone in between.

My kids were so excited about all the different exhibits.  All of them have some kind of hands-on activity, ranging from watching a real dinosaur bone being excavated, to caves to crawl in, to digging for their own "dinosaur bones".  There was so much to see and do that it was almost a sensory overload for them.  They ran around and looked at each exhibit for a moment before dashing off to the next one.

 

One of my favorite parts of the museum was seeing all of the dinosaur skeletons.  My kids liked seeing the dinosaurs they recognized, such as the triceratops and T-rex.  This museum is definitely one you would need to visit multiple times in order to see everything there was to see.

They have various other activities to do at the museum that weren't part of our pass (read as: cost extra), such as the 3D theater and the Jr. Paleo Lab where you can make your own fossil.  They also have a great gift shop, but instead of purchasing anything there, we used their penny stamping machine and my daughter came away with a cool souvenir for only $.51.

Visiting the museum is lots of fun and educational.  You could easily spend 2-3 hours there if you have the time (and your kids have the attention span).

Kid-Friendly: Yes
Toddler-Friendly: Yes
Baby-Friendly: Yes
Restrooms: Yes, but there is only one and it is next to the main entrance
Price: $12-$15

If the cost of admission to the museum is a deterrent, here are a few things to think about:

• See if you know someone who has a pass to Thanksgiving Point.  They can get you in for 1/2 off!  And they don't have to stay in order for you to get the discount so if they are willing to meet you there and just show their pass, you can use the discount.
• They have a 25% discount for military with a valid ID.
• Look into the Flex Pass if you are interested in spending the day at Thanksgiving Point and want to see more than one venue.
• Every August they do a $2 Tuesday admission where you can visit any of their exhibits for just $.
• Sign up for the Thanksgiving Point newsletter for special discounts and information.
• Take just one or two kids at a time as a special parent/child activity.
• Age 2 and under is free!

For more information about the Museum of Ancient Life, visit their website.

Have you been to the Museum of Ancient Life?  What is your favorite part?

Post by Shani Ogden