Mystic Aquarium is known for its penguins, beluga whales, sea lions, sea anemones, sharks and all manner of marine life. On April 7, prehistoric creatures moved in.
The newest exhibit at the aquarium, “Jurassic Giants: A Dinosaur Adventure,” has 12 animatronic dinosaurs and other dino-focused interactive attractions. Some of the dinos are life-sized. Others, like the T-Rex, are not.
In conjunction with the exhibit opening, “Dinosaur Discovery Week” runs April 11 to 18, timed to straddle two spring break weeks. “Discovery Week” activities include a “dino dig,” games such as T-Rex Toss and pin the horn on the Triceratops, a dino disco dance party, a make-your-own fossil, Jurassic Jeeps and a Jurassic-era survival challenge.
A few weeks after “Dinosaur Discovery Week,” starting on May 1, the aquarium will re-open its revamped theater and show a dinosaur movie, says aquarium spokeswoman Dale Wolbrink.
The delightful dinos in the “Jurassic Giants” exhibit have motion sensors in their heads, hands and tails and sometimes lungs, which move when visitors stroll by. A roaring, breathing Triceratops stands between her two babies, who nod their heads, as the Triceratops eggs wiggle as if they are about to hatch. Two life-sized Pteranodons fly overhead. A Parasaurolophus, with the distinctive horn on its head, is surrounded by Parasaurolophus babies.
Some of the dinos are shown in pairs. A knobby-headed Ankylosaurus roars menacingly, but is dwarfed by the Tyrannosaurus rex lurking behind it. A Stegosaurus skulks in the underbrush, accompanied by a tall, thin-necked Brachiosaurus.
Even seasoned dino lovers may not be familiar with the Citipati, a bird-like creature with a triangle-shaped head, or with the Coelophysis. “A lot of people mistake the Coelophysis for Velociraptors, but they’re an older species,” Wolbrink says.
Interactive features are scattered throughout the exhibit floor to enhance the educational element of the show — the various types of dinosaurs, when dinosaurs lived, what the Earth looked like when dinosaurs came into being — and a dinosaur mural decorates the show floor, alongside faux vegetation and bamboo walls.
The dino exhibit is shown next to a tank full of alligators. Wolbrink says the juxtaposition is meant to draw attention to the subject of endangered species. Alligators were hunted almost to extinction decades ago but have bounced back as a result of legislation and conservation efforts.
“Extinction is something that is real. Alligators are a success story,” she says. “We want to teach that the actions people take can have a positive effect on animals.”
JURASSIC GIANTS: A DINOSAUR ADVENTURE will be at Mystic Aquarium, 55 Coogan Blvd. in Mystic, until the end of the year. mysticaquarium.org.
More Dinos!
Dinos reign supreme in several venues statewide:
“Dinosaurs in Your Backyard: A Portal to Past Worlds” is an exhibit at The Children’s Museum, 950 Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford. The show includes fossils, footprints, bones, 3D dinosaur models and a game show. thechildrensmuseumct.org.
The Connecticut Science Center, at 250 Columbus Blvd. in Hartford, has a “Planet Earth” area where visitors can dig for fossils and hear the roar of a Dilophosaurus. Science Alley, in the lobby, features a stylized skeleton of a dinosaur. ctsciencecenter.org.
The Great Hall of Dinosaurs at Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, 170 Whitney Ave. in New Haven, features skeletons of dinosaurs and an “Age of Reptiles” mural of dinosaur life. Outside the museum is a life-sized bronze statue of a Torosaurus. peabody.yale.edu.
Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum, 400 West St. in Rocky Hill, has early Jurassic fossil tracks made 200 million years ago, as well as prehistoric dioramas and fossils. dinosaurstatepark.org.
The Dinosaur Place at Nature’s Art Village, 1650 Hartford-New London Turnpike in Oakdale, has more than 40 life-size models of dinosaurs on its nature trails, as well as a dino-themed playground. naturesartvillage.com/the-dinosaur-place/
