Go back in time at the Dinosaur Museum-Park in Mèze
Would you like to travel back in time? This is the new experience that we suggest you live during your stay in the Thau Archipelago and more precisely in Mèze, at the Dinosaur Museum-Park. Located in the heart of an exceptional palaeontological site, this largest museum-park in Europe dedicated to dinosaurs and prehistory will delight young and old alike with its skeletons, fossils and life-size dinosaurs... So don't wait any longer to take this leap into the history of Man and dinosaurs!
A little history
It all began in March 1996 when a large number of dinosaur eggs were discovered on the site, proving that the region was occupied for nearly 10 million years by different species of dinosaurs.
In 1997, Alain Cabot decided to invest in the site and turn it into a museum-park on 6 hectares of pine forest and scrubland. One can then enjoy this site of fossil clutches classified third in the world after the Gobi desert in China and the state of Montana in the United States.
But what makes the place so rich is that here, the excavations are permanent and in the open air. You can follow the work of the researchers, observe the excavation and removal of fossils, or the construction of dinosaur reconstructions.
A scientific adventure
For almost 2 hours, you will be immersed in the world of dinosaurs from their origin to their extinction with the open-air museum dedicated to them.
In the shade of the pines, meander between the Tyrannosaurus Rex and the family of Triceratops that confronts it, and watch the Troodons lay eggs in a group while the Dromaeosaurs attempt to attack a nest.
Other representations include Spinosaurs, Stegosaurus, Allosaurs, Iguanodons, Hypacrosaurus and Deinonychus in groups. Don't miss the reconstructed Triceratops skeleton and Dima, the baby mammoth fossil.
But the most impressive part of the tour is the encounter with the largest dinosaur skeleton in the world: a Brachiosaurus that is 25 metres long, 12 metres high and weighs almost 50 tonnes. Its particularity: it is the only dinosaur to have forelimbs longer than hind limbs.
Throughout your visit, panels as well as videos and interviews will tell you a little more about each of them. Children, from 6-7 years old, will also be able to learn more as the information is adapted to their age.
Tip: Don't hesitate to take a break on your way to the picnic area available to visitors in July and August, or to the refreshment stand available on site.
For almost 2 hours, you will be immersed in the world of dinosaurs from their origin to their extinction with the open-air museum dedicated to them.
In the shade of the pines, meander between the Tyrannosaurus Rex and the family of Triceratops that confronts it, and watch the Troodons lay eggs in a group while the Dromaeosaurs attempt to attack a nest.
Other representations include Spinosaurs, Stegosaurus, Allosaurs, Iguanodons, Hypacrosaurus and Deinonychus in groups. Don't miss the reconstructed Triceratops skeleton and Dima, the baby mammoth fossil.
But the most impressive part of the tour is the encounter with the largest dinosaur skeleton in the world: a Brachiosaurus that is 25 metres long, 12 metres high and weighs almost 50 tonnes. Its particularity: it is the only dinosaur to have forelimbs longer than hind limbs.
Throughout your visit, panels as well as videos and interviews will tell you a little more about each of them. Children, from 6-7 years old, will also be able to learn more as the information is adapted to their age.
Tip: Don't hesitate to take a break on your way to the picnic area available to visitors in July and August, or to the refreshment stand available on site.
The history of Man
Head for the large area dedicated to the end of prehistory and the evolution of mankind to experience, for a few minutes, the adventure of the human species from its origins to its evolution.
In this open-air museum, you can see reconstructions of scenes from prehistoric life, observe objects used in the daily life of our ancestors and help your child answer the questionnaire that will allow him/her to obtain a diploma at the end of the visit!
And to finish your visit, go to the "Children's dig" area. Similar to a sandbox from afar, it reveals its secrets to worthy budding palaeontologists. Under the 60 m² of sand, there are life-size dinosaur skeletons to be unearthed with your hands or with the tools available on site.
Tip: There is a shop to round off this adventure. You are also welcome to bring your dog to the Dinosaur Museum Park.
