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Dino Park – Portugal’s largest outdoor museum

Dino Parque
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I’m a fan of Jurassic Park, like any ordinary mortal. So when I heard of Dino Park, an open space with a hundred dinosaurs in full size, I couldn’t help but remember the scenes of Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster.

Located in Lourinhã, land known as the Capital of Dinosaurs, this new museum occupies about 10 hectares of vegetation and loads of history.

Dino Park

The arrival at the Dino Park is by the suggestive Rua do Vale dos Dinossauros (Dinosaur Valey Street), in Abelheira, 5-10 minutes from the center of Lourinhã, at the end of which you will see the entrance to the park, guarded by a huge dinosaur. You can’t miss it.

[Tweet “The biggest open air #museum in #Portugal is full of #Dinosaurs! 😃”]

After going through the ticket offices, you enter the museum, which stores the all the artifacts that used to live in the small hall in the center of the village. The new space is airy, and there’s even a room where paleontologists are working, for everyone to see.

Real bones, archaeological finds, replicas of various species tell the tale of these animals and serve as an introduction to what follows.

Dino Park

Beyond T-Rex

Leaving the museum, the visitor enters the vast enclosure of the Dino Park. Water, vegetation, fences and information panels everywhere, and of course, 120 full-sized animals that spread through four routes. Each path represents the four most significant periods of Earth’s history.

You won’t be calling this place the “Portuguese Jurassic Park” because the Jurassic is only one of the periods portrayed. It also includes the Paleozoic, the Triassic, and the Cretaceous. These are some mighty names with fascinating creatures.

Dino Park

Dino Park

The Dino Park dinosaurs don’t move, not because it was an impossible task, but so as not to scare the younger ones. After all, this is a park for the whole family.

Happiness for the little in the Dino Park

And speaking of the younger ones, waiting for them is an area full of sand where they’ll be able to excavate a giant dinosaur skeleton. As well as a pavilion with a series of didactic activities. Even I wanted to walk with a shovel and a pickax.

Dino Park Dino Park

Dino Park Lourinhã

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Have you heard of Dino Park before? Are you a lover of these giants? What’s your favorite dinosaur? Share it in the comment box below. Let’s talk!

Marlene On The Move

Marlene Marques

Marlene is the creator of Marlene On The Move. A journalist by profession, she created the blog to share her adventures around the world. It is not unusual for her to set off to discover new countries and cultures with a surfboard as luggage.

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2 COMMENTS

  • Rica

    I regret missing this on my last trip to Portugal. I was in Lourinha for a week and this is one of the main attractions in the area. I explored mostly the beaches in the area. but looking at your pictures now, seems like I missed out.

    • Marlene Marques
      AUTHOR

      Hi Rica! The park is a lot of fun and super educational. At least you’ll have an excuse to come back one day 😉 Thanks for stopping by and for sharing your experience.

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