Visa-Free USA Ready Go Series ~ Heading to the Homeland of Tyrannosaurs

By Wei Ruyi, Interview & Report

Did you know? The world’s first Tyrannosaurus rex fossil was discovered in Montana, USA in 1902. The earliest recorded evidence of dinosaur parenting also comes from Montana. The “Dinosaur Egg Hill” where dinosaur fossils were excavated in the movie Jurassic Park is also located in Montana. Additionally, fossils of Triceratops, Troodon, Dromaeosaurus, and various species of hadrosaurs have been found there. Therefore, Montana can be considered the primary dinosaur-producing region of the Late Cretaceous period (80 to 65 million years ago). The state’s 15 dinosaur museums not only house a wealth of historical materials and replicas, but visitors also have the opportunity to personally touch precious fossils that are tens of millions of years old.

Huang Dayi, Director of the Tianlong Science Popularization International Foundation, who has collaborated multiple times with the Asia-Pacific Office of the Montana State Government to lead the public in Montana to excavate and learn about dinosaur fossils, and is also the Chairman of the Chinese Rock & Mineral Association’s Geological Science Branch, recommends at least three dinosaur museums that you shouldn’t miss: the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, the Makoshika Dinosaur Museum in the small town of Glendive, and Fort Peck. He says the Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University is the current leader in dinosaur studies and an unmissable pilgrimage site. The museum boasts an extremely rich collection of dinosaur specimens and offers very vivid exhibits. Meanwhile, the Makoshika Dinosaur Museum and Makoshika State Park in Glendive are the perfect duo for understanding the dinosaurs of the very late Cretaceous period (Hell Creek Formation). The former showcases abundant local dinosaur samples, while the latter is an open-air museum — together they complement each other. As for Fort Peck, it features a beautiful reservoir and a dinosaur exhibition and education center where fossils unearthed nearby are displayed.

Additionally, Montana’s 15 dinosaur museums have jointly launched a Prehistoric Passport. In addition to introducing the highlights of each museum’s exhibits and related activities, visitors who collect stamps from all the dinosaur museums within five years of purchase can redeem a limited-edition Dinosaur Trail T-shirt. Museum staff also mentioned that although the dinosaur excavation site at Fort Peck is no longer open to the public, it is still included in the dinosaur passport, and the interpretation center at the Fort Peck Dinosaur Museum can help visitors get their passports stamped.

Professor Huang Dayi said that summer is the most suitable season to search for dinosaur fossils in Montana after the snow has melted and the mud has dried. He strongly encourages those interested in dinosaurs, geology, and paleontology to go beyond watching movies and exhibitions, and to personally experience field trips to understand how to find dinosaur fossils in the wild. By touching and identifying them firsthand, dinosaurs can become tangible knowledge and experiences in daily life — making it a truly unique and rare travel journey.

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