Quarry Visitor Center

The Quarry Visitor Center is a paleontology museum displaying over 1,500 dinosaur fossils embedded in rock walls, with specimens from the Late Jurassic period. Visitors can observe these preserved bones in their original excavation positions along with exhibits explaining the site's geological significance.

Earl Douglass discovered this fossil site in 1909 and conducted excavations that recovered roughly 700,000 pounds of bones from the area. The significance of these findings led to the establishment of Dinosaur National Monument in 1915.

The center embodies 1950s architectural approaches that paired visitor facilities with landscape respect, representing how the park service began welcoming guests more systematically. This building style shaped how people experience and engage with fossil sites today.

The center is open daily and features exhibition spaces along with information desks to help orient visitors. Keep in mind that access to excavation areas may be restricted and walkways vary in difficulty level.

The site preserves fossils in their original arrangement, including remains from Allosaurus, Diplodocus, and Stegosaurus that visitors can examine directly. This in-situ presentation allows people to grasp how paleontologists study and interpret ancient life.

Location: Uintah County

Architects: Anshen & Allen

Operator: NPS

Opening Hours: Holidays,Monday-Sunday 08:00-17:30

Website: https://nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm

GPS coordinates: 40.44057,-109.30129

Latest update: December 12, 2025 14:24