“Emu’s grandparents were dinosaurs, remember, mummy?”, Luna was clutching her emu doll.

They are ratites, and would have descended from dinosaurs. That was me talking in my head. What I actually told her, “Yes, but great great great great great grandparents!”.

Amazing how that, out of the million things I read to her in the museum, stuck in her mind. Perhaps because she has an emu doll. Or maybe because of the interactive displays which helped her understand more. Therefore she remembers more.

That’s the magic of the Dinosaur Discovery: Lost Creatures of the Cretaceous exhibition now housed in Queensland Museum. Over twenty life-size, animated dinosaur models are on show with heaps of info boards and touch screens which give information not only about them but also about the environment they lived in during the Cretaceous era. A variety of species are presented, such as the Brachiosaurus (which stands outside the entrance of Queensland Museum), the Australian Australovenator, the Deinosuchus (extinct genus related to the alligator, grows to about 11 meters), and Beelzebufo Ampinga (giant frogs that ate dinosaurs!), and of course, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. They are grouped according to where they resided.

You can imagine a Jurassic Park vibe in there. Except, the Cretaceous Period and Jurassic Period are actually two different periods of the Mesozoic Era. But uhm, you know what I mean.

How much for the experience? Ticket prices:

Adult: $15
Child: $12 (3-15 Years)
Family: $45 (2 Adult + 4 Child)

Dinosaur Discovery: Lost Creatures of the Cretaceous is on from 27 March to 5 October 2015.

While you’re there, why not spare some time also for Queensland Museum’s permanent exhibit, the Lost Creatures: Stories from Ancient Queensland? It’s free! It also features interactive activities for kids and kids at heart. From computer projections, to touch screens, to fossils that you’re allowed to feel. The highlight for me is the slab with preserved dinosaur footprints taken from Lark Quarry Conservation Park. Real footprints.

Come see for yourself.

If you’re not a dino-junkie, these two exhibits will (or at least try to) turn you into one.