COSI has a new exciting exhibit that will captivate the interest of kids and adults alike. The new Dinosaurs: Explore. Escape. Survive. Exhibit is open now through September 5, 2011. This exhibit is free with paid admission to COSI and is part of the Roar & Explore Adventure Getaway in Columbus, Ohio.
COSI Dinosaurs: Explore. Escape. Survive. Exhibit Review
My family had the chance to check out the new Dinosaurs: Explore. Escape. Survive. Exhibit at COSI a couple weeks ago. Elijah has always been a fan of dinosaurs and can give you more facts about them than anyone I know. We have a real Jr. Paleontologist on our hands. Elizabeth is fascinated by dinosaurs too. Aren’t we all?
This new exhibit is 10,000 square feet large displays that move and make sounds as well as plenty of hands-on activities and learning.
The exhibit starts off with a huge 3,000 square feet maze where your dinosaur knowledge get challenged. There were several questions that we actually got wrong because the commonly thought “facts” about dinosaurs are actually incorrect like dinosaurs aren’t really extent because of the common ancestors that birds share. Within the maze were activities like wearing dinosaur feet to make dinosaur tracks, rock wall climbing, dinosaur bone dig, and more. So, kids and adults enjoyed fun activities while learning facts about dinosaurs. COSI really knows how to make learning fun.
[slickr-flickr tag=Dinosaurs]The COSI Dinosaur Exhibit continued with impressive animatronic dinosaur displays with dinosaurs grouped with like dinosaurs in realistic settings. The T-Rex dinosaur exhibit showed a large, roaring T-Rex scaring off anyone that might try to interfere with her 3 baby T-Rex dinosaurs feasting on the kill they made. It was a little gross with the dead dinosaur with blood an all, but it’s what you should expect from a ferocious meat-eating dinosaur! I wouldn’t want to mess with the mama T-Rex, in fact, it was a bit too realistic for comfort with the sounds and movement together. 🙂 There were several other dinosaur displays including hatching baby dinosaurs in a nest.
Throughout the dinosaur exhibit, there are many ways to learn and explore what it was like during the dinosaur times including footprints, casts, and real fossil teeth and bones on display. My kids really enjoyed the “Be the Dinosaur” section where they were able to use advanced computer simulators to act, hunt, move and live like a dinosaur. It wasn’t all fun and games being a dinosaur, they had to keep their energy, food, water, and safety in check all the time, even as a T-Rex!
Waking the T.Rex: The Story of SUE
It is always fun to sit in the Ohio’s largest giant screen theater at COSI. COSI always has a great offering of a couple films. The new Dinosaur film is in 3D called Waking the T.Rex: The Story of SUE. I wondered why they would name the dinosaur Sue, it is in honor of the paleontologist Sue Hendrickson who discovered the most complete T. rex specimen ever discovered. SUE was discovered in the summer of 1990 on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, in western South Dakota . Scientists have used the fossil clues to piece together the life of SUE from nest to death. The movie is alive with excitement as you watch the daily activities of a T.Rex in 3D action.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVn_hPLK9Rg[/youtube]The movie is intended for kids ages 9 and up. My kids ages 4 and 6 were fine and there were many other younger kids in the theater. You will have to use your own judgment.
Our Favorite COSI Exhibits
Last winter, we went to COSI for the first time as a family and had wished we had more time to visit. COSI has 110,000 square feet of space with more than 300 exhibits that are hands-on fun for all ages.
My kids enjoyed the COSI Oceans Exhibit even more this time around because we were not trying to keep them dry. There are many hands on activities like shooting water at Poseidon that could get kids a little wet. Ok in the summer, not so much in the winter (even though my kids didn’t seem to mind).
[slickr-flickr tag=COSI]There was more fun to be had at the COSI little kidspace Exhibit. I’m a little sad that this will be the last year for my 6 year old to enjoy this feature as when he enters 1st grade, he’ll have to go to the big kid hang out room instead. The hang out room has games, videos, and activities for bigger kids to particpate in while younger kids play in the kidspace. I did notice that there was an attendant there interacting with the older kids, so that was nice.
For this visit, my kids headed straight for the Splish Splash area. Having hands on fun with science is always a good thing, especially when you add water on a hot day!
Another family favorite is the COSI Progress Exhibit. It is neat to see the progress of two cities in the year 1898 and 1962. My kids enjoyed serving up food for us in the 60’s diner.
Visit COSI
COSI is one of 3 stops in the Roar and Explore Adventure Getaway, tickets are included with your package. Expect to spend the day at COSI, we spend around 5 hours or more each time we visit.
COSI
333 W. Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215
614.228.2674 or 888.819.2674
COSI Operating Hours:
Wednesday through Saturday: 10:00am to 5:00pm Sundays: 12:00pm to 6:00pm
Closed Mondays & Tuesdays (unless noted on their site, they are open on many Monday holidays).
COSI Admission:
Adults    Youth (2-12) Senior (60+)
Exhibits + One Extreme Screen Film    $20.25    $15.25          $19.25
Exhibits + Adventure                             $17.25    $12.25          $16.25
Exhibits Only                                           $14.25    $9.25            $13.25
Extreme Screen Only                               $7.50       $7.50           $7.50
Additional pricing available on COSI website, including membership pricing.
This was not a paid post. My own opinions were used based on my perceptions and experience. Thank you to COSI who supplied the tickets for Roar and Explore  Adventure Getaway review.
