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Local Voices

CT Dinosaur State Park Debuts Renovated Discovery Room

The Connecticut Dinosaur State Park, located in Rocky Hill, is pleased to announce the opening of its renovated Discovery Room, an interactive classroom that was unveiled earlier this year after extensive renovations.   The Connecticut Dinosaur State Park is one of five locations featured on the Connecticut Dinosaur Trail.

 The classroom features hands-on activities, state-of-the-art displays of Connecticut rocks and minerals. Connecticut's Geological Treasures located in The Discovery Room features an interactive geologic map of the state, pull and learn drawers containing dozens of specimens from Connecticut and an “Investigation Station” where visitors can examine mica, crystal structures and more. The exhibit holds a large number of museum quality minerals and rocks. Visitors are able to connect with the exhibit on a personal level because the items in this collection are all from Connecticut. 

 The Discovery Room also contains different drawers that contain fossils from various regions of Connecticut. This exhibit features a suspended geological core that shows the different layers of the earth, as well as reptile tanks and a feature where visitors can touch buttons on a wall to hear the calls of regional birds.

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 A Magnetic Mural is also featured in the newly renovated Discovery Room. The mural features magnetic images of different species for visitors to place on a large time line of the Mesozoic Era based on when they believe these creatures roamed the earth.

 Nutmeg Designs of Windsor, CT created the design specifications and Experience Designs of Pawtucket, RI was responsible for the fabrication of the exhibits. The renovations were funded by the Friends of Dinosaur Park and Arboretum, Inc. as well as a $150,000 grant from the Connecticut Bond Commission.

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 About The Connecticut Dinosaur Trail

The Connecticut Dinosaur Trail is a historic collaboration that brings together the private and public sector with state agencies to promote tourism in Connecticut. The primary partners include five of the state’s pre-eminent tourist attractions:  Connecticut Science CenterDinosaur State ParkThe Dinosaur Place,Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History and Stepping Stones Museum for Children.

 About The Connecticut Dinosaur State Park

Located in Rocky Hill, CT, the Connecticut Dinosaur State Park is one of the largest dinosaur track sites in North America. Beneath their geodesic dome, visitors will find an exceptional display of early Jurassic fossil tracks that were made 200 million years ago. Along with many engaging, educational exhibits for kids to explore, this museum includes the newly renovated and revamped Discovery Room, which is an interactive class room where visitors can learn about plant and animal life that inhabited Connecticut millions of years ago. 


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