Heartland View

Media Credit: Alex Raymond The Powell Gardens Visitors Center provides parents with information and maps while children can participate in various hands-on activities.

Media Credit: Alex Raymond

Media Credit: Alex Raymond This Daspletosaurus is a direct ancestor of Tyrannosaurus rex.

Media Credit: Alex Raymond These dinosaurs are nesting next to a small creek.

Media Credit: Alex Raymond This creature greets guests as they enter the Jurassic Garden exhibit.

Visitors to Powell Gardens outside of Kansas City, Mo., are now given the opportunity to journey through Jurassic Gardens. This exhibit featuring over 30 different dinosaurs opened on June 27 and was scheduled to end during October. The park later decided to extend the exhibits length through Thanksgiving weekend due to its popularity.

This beautiful, flowery garden has been transformed into a prehistoric forest filled with 30 life-like models of 13 different species of dinosaurs. These species range from small chicken size dinosaurs all the way to the carnivorous cousin the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Daspletosaurus. The life-size dinosaur models were created and donated by artist and paleontologist Guy Darrogh.

Jurassic Gardens is a must see event that has activities for children and adults alike. Families can explore the terrain on this trip around the garden and experience together what the age of dinosaurs would have been like.

Not only is this adventure fun, it is also very educational. In front of each model there is all kinds of information about that specific dinosaur including what it ate, what period of time it came from and when and where the fossils of that dinosaur were discovered. In addition there are many other fun and interactive activities for kids such as the " I Dig Dinos" sandpit and activity guides for children.

The journey begins at the Visitor Education Center where guests can find information about the park, visit the gift shop or get something at Cafeacute; Thyme. From there visitors start traveling through the garden.

The first stop is at the Island Garden, which is located in the center of a large lake where guests will find their first dino model, the Dimetrodon.

From there guests cross a bridge and head into the forested garden where the dinosaurs really start to appear. Entering the woods, guests are greeted by the Kritosaurus, a Postosuchus and a herd of the famous Velociraptor.

After crossing over a creek, visitors enter the Rock and Waterfall Garden. Here is the resting place of the chicken size Sordes and Syntarsus and the more docile Edmontosaurus.

Finally guests finish their journey at the Perennial Garden where they can view the star of the exhibit, the Daspletosaurus, cousin to the T-Rex, as he hunts down his prey, the Hypsiberma missouriense; which is the state dinosaur of Missouri. After the long journey guests return to the Visitor Center through the trolley.

This experience is exciting and packed full of fun and adventure for everyone in the family. It is a must see exhibit, but you have to hurry and see it for yourself before these dinosaurs go extinct at Jurassic Garden.

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