A Q&A on the new animatronic dinosaur exhibit at Woodland Park Zoo with Nathaniel, age 4.
Tell us about the dinosaur exhibit.
A: "Well, guess what. The first part was scary, because the two meat eaters were spitting and they looked real and they made noises… I just runned along the side so they did not see me. And then, guess what. I saw Brachiosaurus! He is a plant eater.
What else did you see?
A: "There was one that you might know, Tyrannosaurus Rex! At the end there is a pretend one that did not look real, and you could climb on him and play on him. And there is a Velociraptor claw, and a bone.
Did you have a great time?
A: Yes. You might like to see it. My mom will take us there.
As you can probably tell, my dinosaur-obsessed 4-year-old had a great time at the Woodland Park Zoo's animated dinosaur exhibit. This is one for all you Jurassic Park fans out there. "Dinosaurs. Real Close," a display of 14 dinosaur replicas, from a towering full-scale T-Rex to a hatching Edmontosaurus, is at Woodland Park Zoo.
The computer-controlled replicas, placed along a winding path of delightfully primeval plantings like cycads and ferns, provide a monstrously more lively experience than the typical museum fossils. They move, bellow, spit, and fix their hard little eyes on passers by. Nathaniel was first petrified, then enthralled.
For all their life-like antics, the dinosaurs are not, of course, real. So how you like "Dinosaurs. Real Close" will depend in part on your feelings about zoo exhibits that cost extra money, don't have live animals, and lean toward entertainment. (Short quiz: Carousel, friend or foe?)
The dinosaurs won me over, partly because the curators have done a nice job of bridging that entertainment/education line, showing the dinos as creatures that once occupied our Earth rather than as myth-like toys. It's an exciting way for young fans to learn what we know – and don't know – about the extinct animals' descendents, colors, voices, and other features. Also, don't miss the small educational area at the exhibit's end (open from noon to 4 p.m.) to examine replicas of objects like claws and teeth, look up questions in the reference books, and hear "keeper talks." Seek out the docents to learn about how animals adapt to their environments, how successful the dinosaurs were at living on Earth (that Hadrosaurus may look a little silly, but he lasted 10 million years), and which Woodland Park animals to check out next. Emus, for instance, were one model for the animatronic dino feet.
The staff estimates the exhibit will take 8-15 minutes, but Nathaniel spent a full hour (including pleading for toys at the inescapable gift shop). I do think he learned more at the exhibit than from his books and toys at home – again, thanks to the experienced staff. And I expect he'll learn more before the exhibit closes, because he woke up the next day asking to go again.
IF YOU GO
Where: Woodland Park Zoo, 601 N. 59th St. The exhibit is adjacent to the North Meadow, near the West Entrance.
When: The exhibit runs April 30 through Sept. 5. It is open during all zoo hours, but the small research/exploration area at the end is staffed only from noon to 4 p.m.
Cost: $3, in addition to zoo admission or membership. You can leave and return throughout the day, which is helpful for young kids who might be frightened at first glimpse.
Contact: 206-548-2500; www.zoo.org
