Dinosaurs Unearthed Invade Courtland Center in Burton

Sloan Museum is a blog supporter and advertiser for Mrs. Weber’s Neighborhood. All opinions expressed belong to me.

If you have a dinosaur-loving kiddo, you won’t want to miss out on Sloan Museum’s latest exhibit: Dinosaurs Unearthed. Thing is, you won’t be finding these life-size monsters at the museum. Instead, they are on display is a special gallery area of Courtland Center Mall in Burton, Michigan, which is located just southeast of Flint.

The exhibit is so neat! During our visit, we found there was little crowds, so my kids really enjoyed spending a little over an hour amongst the dinosaurs, and playing in a kid-centric play area.

Your journey begins by entering the mall. Any entrance will do…It’s hard to miss the giants in the center of the mall 😉

From there, grab your entrance tickets at the front desk and be on your way back to prehistoric times.

For starters, we had a blast playing a game with an interactive screen to determine if an animal, was in fact, classified as a dinosaur.

From there, we walked among the great beasts that once lived. The animatronic reptiles were really lifelike and truly pieces of art. We enjoyed seeing those we knew already, and even learned about a few species we never knew existed.

Favorites like the feathered juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex tell the amazing story of feathered dinosaurs, based on the most current scientific findings of the last decade.

There were fossils and bones found in China, and even a spot for kids to engage in paleontologist play.

Surrounding the exhibit are more than 30 historic and classic cars on display, so there is plenty to see once you are through checking out the dinosaurs.

In the back, there is a neat kid-centric play area mirrored after the Wisner’s Whizbang Emporium that is at the real Sloan Museum.

Though it is designed with little ones in mind, even my 10-year-old nephew had fun playing! They enjoyed playing in a large playhouse, putting on a puppet show, and even building with gears.

ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR YOUR VISIT

• There is a gift shop at the entrance/exit. There are lots of neat things, but it’s easy to bypass if budget doesn’t allow for a trinket.
• There is a fun photo opportunity in front of a green screen. This is an additional cost, and the pricing started at $10. The photos were pretty sweet!
• If you’d like to pack lunches or snacks, there is a dedicated area within the exhibit to enjoy food, and there are also some small snacks and drinks to enjoy in the gift shop.
• The mall does not have a food court, but there is a Mexican restaurant called El Cozumel Mexican Grill inside. Otherwise, there are plenty of options surrounding the mall.
• There are restrooms inside the exhibit, including a family restroom.
• For breastfeeding mamas, there is a private mother’s room available near the kid’s play area.
• Check the special events section for upcoming events such as crafts, story times, a tea party and more.

PRICING & HOURS

The exhibit is $10/adults, $9/seniors, $7/children and $3 for members and ASTC holders {so if you have a membership to Flint Children’s Museum, Michigan Science Center or Ann Arbor Hands On Museum, you should definitely visit!}. Group rates are also available.

Open hours are as follows:

• Monday-Friday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Sunday: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

The exhibit will be on display through January 6, 2019.

For more information on this exhibit, visit this link. You can also follow Sloan Museum on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to learn more.

LOCATION

Courtland Center Mall is located at 4190 E. Court St. Burton, MI 48509

The exhibit is easily accessible through the Court St. mall entrance, right next to El Cozumel Mexican Grill.

OTHER IDEAS

I often mention visiting Flint for good reason. There are some really fantastic options for things to do, and many are low-cost! Parking is never an issue, which makes it a great destination for families with little ones. Here’s a list of extra fun to experience in the area!

Have fun if you visit!