Jurassic Quest

By Aja Hannah

In the giant empty former bomber plant that is the I-X Center, prehistoric animals are coming to life in Cleveland once again. Although our corner of Ohio has a rich history of fossils--see Euclid Creek and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, we are not usually a hotbed for dinosaur fossils. The surrounding rocks just lack the right layers of rocks to find dinosaur remains.

But life has found a way, of course. With the help of electricity and human hands at Jurassic Quest, nearly 100 species of life-sized dinosaurs are bringing back the Mesozoic Era.

The Dinosaurs

Ask any kid — and honestly most adults — dinosaurs are the coolest. There’s like a billion of them and their names all end in saurus and they were massive. While Jurassic Quest hasn’t brought a billion with them, they are setting up least 80 species of dinosaurs with headlining favorites like Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus Rex to the obscure and bizarre like island-hopping Ajkaceratrops and Edward Scissorhands-esque Therizinosaurus.

These animatronic, hulking, roaring beasts come to life in all sizes from the towering adults to their cute, big-eyed baby offspring! Kids should get their petting hands ready; they can interact with three baby dinosaurs at daily shows or at the dino petting zoo.

Fun and Games

When the little ones get tired of just seeing the dinosaurs and start trying to climb the exhibits, you can wear them out at the dinosaur-themed bounce houses, the dinosaur-themed bungee pull, animatronic dinosaur rides, and craft stations. Bring home a face full of paint or a green screen dino photo. And, for those rumbly tummies, there’s the quintessential overpriced concession stand food.

Science Stations

Okay, okay. So it’s not just fun and games. Jurassic Quest is also about education. There’s a lot to learn and it covers the whole Mesozoic Era from Triassic to Jurassic to Cretaceous. Take a guided tour with a dinosaur expert, see a real T. Rex skull, participate in a simulated fossil dig, and thoroughly learn the history of each species of dinosaur.

To get a Destination Cleveland discount, buy tickets online and use the promo code SAVE20.