At first glance, you’d think it wouldn’t be much. The Aathal Dinosaur Museum (in German, Sauriermuseum) does not look huge or spectacular. But after you go inside and find out all it has to offer, you will realize that the Aathal Dinosaur Museum has more to offer than what you initially expected.
Most of the people who go there are families with young kids. However, adults will also find it interesting. On the inside, it is one of the top dinosaur museums we have ever been to. This is a unique opportunity for you to handle real fossils and meteorites and get lots of hands-on experience.
Overview:Aathal Dinosaur Museum
| Age Group | All ages |
| Category | Animals |
| Expected Duration | 2-4 hours, Half Day |
| Cost | Adults - Fr. 21.00 Kids (5 - 16 Years Old) - Fr. 11.00 Families with own kids - Fr. 58.00 |
| Address | Zürichstrasse 69 8607 Aathal |
| Website | https://sauriermuseum.ch/ |
| Opening Hours | Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sunday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Generally closed during holidays |
What to Expect atAathal Dinosaur Museum
First and foremost, you may want to know what dinosaurs will be inside. Among the original dinosaur bones that can be viewed at the Aathal Dinosaur Museum are Stegosaurus, Galeomopus, and Camarasaurus. The dinosaurs that were found in Wyoming, USA came from their own diggings.
10 Original Dinosaurs
The following 10 dinosaurs can be found at the Aathal Dinosaur Museum:
- Allosaurus
- Camarasaurus
- Diplodocus
- Stegosaurus
- Sauropod
- Othnielosaurus
- Stegosaurus
- Hesperosaurus
- Kaatedocus
- Geleamopus
Aathal Dinosaur Museum prepares them for public display before they are exhibited. We now get to watch all 10 of these original, reconstructed dinosaurs – the result of years of their own work and labor. There are some bones too, and you can even touch one if you like!
Dinosaurs in Switzerland
There is a section at theAathal Dinosaur Museum that explains the dinosaurs that can be found in Switzerland. Monte San Giorgio, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ticino, has been found to contain many fossils. Together with Monte Pravello and Monte Orsa in Varese, Italy, Monte San Giorgio is one of the world’s most important fossil deposits.
Monte San Giorgio hosts one of the most important fossil deposits in the world for the Middle Triassic, a time period that lasted between 247 and 237 million years ago.
In Monte San Giorgio, the Fossil Museum is housed in a building designed by Star Architect Mario Botta. The fossils were found in the five layers of Monte San Giorgio’s Middle Triassic period.
Ancient fossils are found in the Meride Formation and the Besano Formation. On the third level are marine fossils dating back 50-60 million years from the Jura (Morbio, Moltrasio, Saltrio, Besazio, Broccatello).
Also at Frick, two fossil skeletons were also found. The Sauriermuseum in Frick houses a complete Plateosaurus skeleton, as well as fossils and minerals from the Frick Clay Quarry and Herznach Iron Mine.
Meteorites and Dinosaur Extinction
Dinosaurs aren’t the only thing on display here. There is a section on meteorites and the galaxy, which is partly related to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
The meteorite exhibit illustrates one theory about dinosaur extinction. This is the result of an asteroid hitting the peninsula of Yucatan, Mexico. It caused a global catastrophe, an explosion equivalent to 10,000 atom bombs, and a 200-kilometer crater. About 60% of the earth’s plant and animal life was destroyed by the force, earthquake, and dust. It has been theorized that this event led to the development of mammals, including humans.
Additionally, it contains a section about the Chelyabinsk Meteorite, which fell on Eastern Russia on February 15, 2013.
Meteorites from Mars and the moon are also included in the exhibit.
Other Exhibits
Moreover, they have a dinosaur comics section, where they display a variety of funny comics. There is also a learning path is built as a quiz with some interactive elements.
It also contains information about Jurassic Park and whether the movie plot is plausible or not. Moreover, they have various amber on display (real ones) with various insects inside the stones.
There are temporary exhibits at the museum. When we visited, there was an exhibit about prehistoric sea life (trilobites and water scorpions). These temporary exhibits change after it runs for a couple of months.
Museum Shop and Cafe
Additionally to the museum exhibits, the Aathal Dinosaur Museum has a self-service cafeteria that serves simple food. If you would like to celebrate a birthday at the museum, you can do so. The museum also offers workshops and guided tours.
Two shops are located on-site: a rock shop selling precious rocks and amber, as well as a museum shop selling books, souvenirs, plush toys, games, and more dinosaur paraphernalia.
A small playground is also available outside.
Review of Aathal Dinosaur Museum
You wouldn’t believe how much there is inside from the outside. Parents and children alike will enjoy it. There are many different items to touch and feel in the museum. The museum contains many original artifacts, including several dinosaurs that were excavated.
We’ve been here several times. It’s always interesting to return after a while. We usually stay inside for 3 hours. If you have a child or live nearby who is very interested in dinosaurs, you might find it worthwhile to get a yearly pass. You can have a memorable time even when it’s not that pleasant outside.
The Swiss have put a lot of effort into putting together this museum, so it is not cheap. The fact that the exhibits change is a good thing. Plus, the kids can also enjoy the outdoor playground if they wish. It is well worth seeing.
Tips for Visiting the Aathal Dinosaur Museum
- In case you run out of parking space right beside the Aathal Dinosaur museum, there are available parking spaces on the other side of the street near the Siber+Siber Shop.
- In case you run out of parking space on the other side of the street, there are also paid parking spots near the train station Aathal.
- The small restaurant inside the museum sells only simple snacks and food (small pizza, hotdogs, cheese toast). In case you fancy a larger selection of Italian food, there is an Italian restaurant right beside the Aathal Dinosaur Museum called Antica Osteria.
- Those with wheelchairs can contact the employees (phone number 044 932 14 18). They will be able to help bring them in.
- Children’s strollers shall be left in the designated areas.
- There is a diaper changing table inside the women’s toilet room. Lockers are also available there for use if necessary.
- You can bring your own food and grill in the garden.
- You can bring your own food to the indoor restaurant as long as you buy drinks from the restaurant. It is a self-service restaurant so please clean up after yourselves.
- The wardrobe is located beside the cashier after entering the building. It is an open wardrobe so make sure that you do not leave any essentials behind. Lockers are located near the toilets.
- Dogs are not allowed in the museum.
Final Thoughts aboutAathal Dinosaur Museum
Despite the price you have to pay, I believe the efforts made worldwide to study dinosaurs and maintain the digging site(s) are worth the cost. Many dinosaurs that were excavated are displayed in the museum, including many original artifacts. Ultimately, we and our children benefit from such places, learn more about and explore these subjects.
Visit theAathal Dinosaur Museum if you have the chance.
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