Looking for activity ideas for kids who love dinosaurs in the Charlottesville area? If you are a parent of young children, chances are you have a dinosaur fan or two in your house. Luckily, there are many dinosaur daytrips, museums, and events in and near Charlottesville!
There’s plenty to do for any miniature paleontologists. Check out fossils at a dinosaur museum exhibit. Explore dinosaur-themed art and sculptures outside. Or create your own prehistoric finds with easy, at-home dinosaur crafts. No matter what your kids are interested in, you’ll find something for every dinosaur fan in Charlottesville.
Charlottesville Area Dinosaur Events & Exhibits
Dino Festival (Martinsville, VA)
The 2025 Dino Festival at the Virginia Museum of Natural History will feature exhibits and activities for every dino-loving kid out there: life-size casts of skulls and skeletons, animatronic dinosaurs, fossils of all sizes, and dinosaur tracks that have been found all across Virginia. There will also be dino-themed crafts, face painting, balloon animals, food trucks, and more. The Festival will take place on July 25 and 26, 2025. Admission is free for kids under age 3, VMNH members, members of ASTC Passport institutions, and EBT recipients. Paid admission ranges from $10-$15, depending on age.
The VMNH also features dinosaur-themed educational programs and exhibits that are available to visitors year-round. These include the Hall of Ancient Life where visitors can view a Pteranadon’s impressive 20-foot-wing-span soaring 40 feet above the hall, the cast skeleton of the theropod dinosaur, Allosaurus, and other amazing displays. Or check out the Ice Age exhibit for which VMNH has re-created full-sized, skeleton casts of some of the most iconic creatures of the Pleistocene epoch. Learn more: 276-634-4141 or vmnh.net
Dinosaur Land (White Post, VA)
Dinosaur Land takes visitors back to the Mesozoic era with larger-than-life replicas of everyone’s favorite prehistoric creatures. The roadside park features over 30 different dinosaur replicas. Each exhibit presents information including the habitat the dinosaur lived in, what it ate, and even which dinosaurs battled each other. This park, which is the only one of its kind in the east, is open to visitors between 9:30 pm and 5:30 pm, making it the perfect daytime getaway. Admission is $7 for guests ages 2 to 10 and $9 for ages 11 and up; kids under age 2 can get in for free. Learn more: 540-869-2222 or dinosaurland.com
Scraposaurs (Winchester, VA)
Need a Charlottesville area dinosaur daytrip for art-loving kids? If you’re heading to the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, you won’t want to miss the Scraposaurs sculpture exhibit! This outdoor art installation, which runs until October 19, 2025, features 14-foot-tall dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures made entirely from scrap metal and other found objects. Some family-favorite creations include an 18-foot-long Stegosaurus named Stanley and an 1,800-pound T. rex. Entry to the Scraposaurs exhibit includes the gardens and galleries. Free admission is available to MVS members, kids ages 4 and under, and EBT recipients; other admission costs range from $5-$15. Learn more: 540-662-1473 or themsv.org
Many children’s museums participate in the Museums for All to offer free or discounted admission to families who receive SNAP/EBT benefits, as well as free or discounted admission to members of other children’s museums!
Charlottesville Area Dinosaur Museums
Science Museum of Virginia (Richmond, VA)
The rotating exhibits of the Science Museum of Virginia usually have at least one dino-themed offering, and in 2025 those include both an exhibit and a show in the Dome Theatre. Starting on May 31, 2025, check out Ultimate Dinosaurs, an interactive exhibit that uses augmented reality to transform dinosaur skeletons into moving, flesh-and-bone animals. Kids will learn about the breakup of the Pangea supercontinent and how it impacted the evolution of dinosaur species.
In the Dome Theatre, you’ll find the Dinosaurs of Antarctica show, which explores the evolution of prehistoric animals in Antarctica over millions of years. Your kids will love learning little-known dinosaur facts, including meat-eaters with night vision and how dinosaurs survived the six-month polar winter with no sun. Admission to the Science Museum is free for members and kids ages 2 and under; reduced pricing is available for low-income families. Other admission prices range from $10-$17.50. Dome shows can be added to regular admission for only $5 more per ticket, including for members (2 and under still free). Learn more: 804-864-1400 or smv.org
The Museum of Culpeper History (Culpeper, VA)
If you need a dinosaur daytrip just a short drive from Charlottesville, head to the Museum of Culpeper history to learn about the dinosaurs that used to live right here in Virginia. The Triassic exhibit includes a set of dinosaur tracks that were one of 5,000 unearthed at the Culpeper Stone Company quarry in 1989. Admission to the museum is free for children, students, and residents of Culpeper County; admission for all others is $4-$5. Learn more: 540-829-1749 or culpepermuseum.com
Looking for more fun daytrips in Virginia? Check out our guides to daytrips in the Shenandoah Valley or pick-your-own farms to visit near Charlottesville!
Virginia Living Museum (Newport News, VA)
At the Virginia Living Museum, you’ll find the Dinosaur Discovery Trail, a permanent outdoor adventure exhibit. The wooded trail, which is open daily, showcases 16 realistic dinosaurs, built at a scale of one-third to completely full-sized. Kids can pose for photos with a baby T. rex or a half-sized adult, or get their hands dirty searching for fossils in the dig pits. The museum also offers lots of hands-on activities for kids of all ages, including an outdoor play area with life-size dinosaurs for climbing, and an interactive fossil display. Learn more: 757-595-1900 or thevlm.org
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (Washington, D.C.)
The Hall of Fossils at the National Museum of Natural History is a 31,000-square-foot space featuring hundreds of fossils, skeleton casts, footprints, and more from multiple prehistoric eras. Stand underneath the massive T. rex and Diplodocus skeletons, see fossils and footprints, and learn about prehistoric plants, insects, mammals, and reptiles. The display includes also hands-on activities, video presentations, and dioramas of prehistoric ecosystems. Learn more: 202-633-1000 or naturalhistory.si.edu
Easy At-Home Dinosaur Crafts
Once you’ve visited these day trip locations and learned more about ancient fossils and dinosaurs than ever before, try these at-home prehistoric activities for kids who love dinosaurs.
Fossil Imprints Dinosaur Craft
Items needed:
- Nature items (shells, leaves, animal bones, etc.)
- Petroleum jelly
- Plaster of Paris
- Water
- Mixing bowl
- Mixing spoon
- Paper plates
Directions:
Coat the nature items with petroleum jelly, and then set aside. Follow the box directions for making plaster of Paris. Pour plaster into the plate and let it sit until it begins to set. Press the objects into the plaster, but do not completely cover them. Set aside overnight to dry. When dry, remove objects to reveal the fossil impressions.
The Big Dig for Dino Lovers
Items needed:
- Kiddie pool or large plastic bin
- Play sand
- Miscellaneous items
- Small shovel and/or sifter
Directions:
If the kids want to go digging like paleontologists do, fill a kiddie swimming pool with sand and then bury miscellaneous items. When they are finished, grab a shovel and dig in to see what treasures you can uncover.
Pingback: The Best Zoos & Aquariums in Virginia - Charlottesville Family