mesalands community college's dinosaur museum

CarolynK168

We were really just looking for something to break up the journey to Albuquerque and stumbled into a gem. This is a really good museum that manages to cater to elementary children (many things to touch) as well to educated adults. The displays and placarding are very well done and the admission price is a bargain. The size of the museum is perfect: you finish looking at the exhibits at the exact same time that you start to feel "museum overload."

BearTrapTC

Very nicely organized and staff were very friendly. They do have some actual dinosaur bones and fossils. However, the vast number of displays are either replicas or printed materials.

clois-gary

Small town, thought we would give it a try. What a shocker. It was so informative and was able to watch students from the Mesalands Community College actually work on the fossils that they dug up there in the area. Great for young and old alike. Very reasonably priced entry charge. Believe the money goes back into the college for research.

Stargateman

I really expected more based on the reviews but it was still very nice. I have been to quite a few dino and dino related museums. The displays here were nice and well thought out and some exhibits with touching allowed. In addition, there was a nice are a for the kids to do their learning. Another nice facet of this museum is that there is a window into the research area to watch a expert poke away with dental like picks and brushes. I always learn something when I go to these museums and this one was no different. Life is a continuing learning process if you have an interest.

Lookin_for_Stuff

Based on reading reviews I knew the museum would be worth the stop. Even so, I was surprised how nicely done the exhibits are. Very educational and interesting; a must-stop for families with dinosaur-loving kids. The bronze-cast fossils are a real class-act, and completely unique from what I've seen. The museum and grounds are very clean, modern, and well-kept.One negative comment, there were no staff or interpreters in the museum. No paleontologists or students were working in the lab on the day we visited. The entire building seemed to be staffed by only two employees at the gift shop who didn't have time to chat or answer questions.

coptest

A really good stop for the grown ups and kids, and it was very inexpensive. Nice taste of the local history and some hands on activities for the kids. A short stop, but worth it.

Algoldade

Very interesting. I did not know that the dinosaur laid eggs like a bird and had a nest. I was impressed with what I saw.

Mjowl

Saw the billboard on the way through so we turned around and stopped in. It was full of neat dinosaur exhibits. Lots of fossils and bones and stuff I never seen before. The kids had a blast.

332bobb

This is a world class Museum. The building is much bigger than it appears. It will take a little while to go through the museum completely but well worth the time.

RustyB264

The museum is bigger inside than it looks on the outside. The museum has several exhibits that will take the average adult 45 minutes to an hour to look through. (Longer if you actually read everything.)There are several hands on exhibits and a nice area for kids. However kids probably need to be at least five or lovers of Dinosaur Train to really enjoy it.The museum also shows off the work of the paleontology department of college in town. I found interesting and a good thing a small school like Mesaland Community College has this type of program.There are bigger museums that feature some of the same type things around the country. But for a town the size of Tucumcari, this is a place of pride for the community and worth this visit if you need to stretch your legs on I-40.

Maddoggy25

Relatively cheap to get in, it's a nice little dinosaur museum that I definitely recommend. Lots of cool fossils, casts, models, and statues, many of which depict stuff that lived in the area of Tucumcari! Fun and cute gift shop and definitely worth a stop.

leeannea651

My daughter really enjoyed this museum and it is not something you expect to see when in Tucumcari. I thought it was a little expensive but still worth seeing.

RatinerianMom

Museum was well designed, taking visitors through time with displays of fossils typical for each time period. The emphasis was on dinosaurs, with bronze castings of skulls, bones and complete dinosaurs. Many exhibits invited visitors to touch the items--great for adults and children alike!We found the museum through a web search, and decided to go on the basis of its great website. It is well advertised also with literature and billboards along the highways. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful--we even were invited into the lab for an overview of preservation and preparation of fossils!

Biohacker

What a find. I didn't expect such a nice dinosaur museum and wished I had stopped here before. I would definitely recommend to my friends and return again.

eldoradogirl

My husband and I spent an hour or two here and found it very interesting. There is a lot of information here, beautiful bronzed dinosaur bones/complete dinosaurs and a nice area for children. Many of the fossils were found in the nearby vicinity by the Mesalands CC staff/students. They also have an extensive gift shop with excellent merchandise, great gifts for kids.If you're traveling I 40, it's a short distance off the interstate and well worth your time.