Dinoparque: They Are Back

Lourinhã pays homage to the dinosaurs that have walked the Earth millions of years ago at Dinoparque

 

Article writen by João Galvão

 

It is just like in the Spielberg movies, but here no one is going to be fed to any creature. Besides, Dinoparque in Lourinhã is like Jurassic Park where 120 full-scale dinosaur models, with realistic finishing, are hiding among the threes.

 

Only 45 minutes away from Lisbon, Dinoparque is born at the Portuguese region with more documented fossils. There was already a museum here, since 1984, dedicated to exhibit the collection now integrated in Dinoparque.

 

 

Some of these fossils with over 150 million years have come to Dinoparque, their own museum, because History with a capital H is not made of plastic animals. But we’re sure that all the remakes will take everyone to Lourinhã – there is always a Spielber within each one of us.

 

Lourinhã is one of the worlds’ 20 most rich regions with this kind of artifacts and definitely the richest with fossils from the Superior Jurassic Era. Its own geomorphology has said so: by the time, this was a large and pleasant valley with many water courses, attracting animal life from big lizards to small mammals.

Beside the fossil bones, the region is also rich in ichnofossils, that is, remains from animal activities, eggs, nests and shells from the inhabitant dinosaurs. All of these artifacts may be seen at the exhibition going on the new museum. But let’s move on to the outside, shall we?

 

On the outdoors, there are 4 trails across 10 hectares corresponding to the end of the Paleozoic, Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Eras.  Along these trails you may admire 120 models from animals long forgotten in History, rebuilt by the hands of artists and scientists.

 

 

There is even a laboratory where you can follow the reparation of real fossils and a pavilion with activities related to paleontology for the visitors.

 

If you have the chance, visit the first museum where this collection was exhibited since 1984 in Lourinhã. Today with the opening of Dinoparque the Museum of Lourinhã has changed its focus, keeping some of the previous archive. At the same local, at the city center, you now find the Opening of the Atlantic (Abertura do Atlântico), from millions of years ago when the continents were only one, Pangea, and Life had just begun.

 

On the same direction and to explore the region and nature by foot (time is already inviting you to), Lourinhã challenges you to walk its pedestrian trail “On the Route of Dinosaurs” (Na Rota dos Dinossauros): here are no plastic copies, these are the real places where big and small dinosaurs have walked, hunted, lived and died, going beyond Hollywood movies.

 

 

More information, prices and schedules here.

 

Images from the venue website