What other travelers are saying about Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
Love it!! would spend more time here, the system, details, presentation of the fossils and dinosaurs are all amazing. Love the clean and detailed layout. I want to go there again, oh and the food in both restaurants inside and mostly outside facility are so delicious and presented so pretty!!! The staffs also work really well. Keep up the good work.
Most visitors spend between two to three hours exploring the museum's three main exhibition zones and viewing the dinosaur skeletons. If you plan to watch a presentation in the dome theater, participate in the fossil discovery experience at the nearby quarry site, or spend extended time in the research laboratory observation area, you should allocate four to five hours for your visit. Families with young children often stay longer due to the interactive displays and outdoor areas.
Yes, the museum displays authentic fossils excavated from the Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry and other sites within Fukui Prefecture. These include bones from locally discovered species such as Fukuiraptor, Fukuisaurus, Fukuititan, and Fukuivenator. The museum features a working paleontology laboratory with glass walls where visitors can watch scientists cleaning and preparing actual fossil specimens. This research facility processes fossils that continue to be discovered in the region's fossil-rich geological formations.
The museum provides English signage throughout the main exhibition areas, and many displays include multilingual descriptions. Audio guides are available in multiple languages for rent at the information desk. The staff at the ticket counter and information desk can communicate basic information in English. However, some specialized exhibits and the dome theater presentations are primarily in Japanese, though the visual nature of dinosaur displays makes the museum accessible to international visitors regardless of language proficiency.
The museum operates a restaurant called Dino Café that serves meals, snacks, and beverages with dinosaur-themed presentations. The menu includes both Western and Japanese options suitable for children and adults. There is also a rest area where visitors can eat packed lunches. The museum shop sells dinosaur-related merchandise, fossils, books, and local Fukui products. Vending machines are available throughout the facility for drinks and light refreshments.
While the active Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry where professional paleontologists work is not open for casual touring due to ongoing research, the museum operates the Dinosaur Forest (Katsuyama Dinosaur Forest), located near the museum grounds. This facility offers a fossil discovery experience where visitors can search for and keep small fossil fragments in designated excavation areas. Reservations are recommended during peak seasons. The experience includes instruction and tools, making it suitable for families. Additionally, an observation point provides distant views of the actual quarry site where significant discoveries have been made.
We traveled from Osaka to visit this museum, and it was definitely worth the trip! We also opted to see the special exhibition at an additional price, but the regular exhibits are fascinating by themselves. It was nice that the museum allows re-entry. We could visit the nearby Katsuyama Dino park (separate fee) and souvenir stores, before returning to the museum. I strongly recommend getting tickets online beforehand, it enabled us to waltz in with no wait time (on a Saturday too ! ).
Be warned that the museum shop and restaurant can get extremely busy. There was a wait time of over 2 hours for lunch, so we just headed out and ate at the other food court style restaurant outside the museum.
All in all, this is a fantastic museum, and will surely make for a memorable time!
Pleasantly surprised by this dinosaur museum! The entrance fee was only 1000 yen, but the collection they house is truly impressive and beautifully displayed. The building is also a magnificent piece of architecture.
We came during the week and got there at the opening time, so we got to enjoy the place wile it was still quiet. By the time we left 2 hours later, it was quite crowded and the parking was packed. We didn't buy tickets in advance, but maybe it would have been a good idea..
Oh they also have some cool animatronics!
One of the most amazing Museum's I have ever been to. So many different different specimens of dinosaurs on display, even some information in English which makes it easier for tourists to understand. The the museum offers multiple levels and even an exclusive look on how some fossils are prepared. The restaurant offers a good selection of delicious dishes and the souvenir shop a wide variety of different things to buy. Would definitely visit again in the future.
Really great experience, we travelled on the special dinosaur train and transferred to the dinosaur bus which was quick and easy. The bus takes you straight to the museum and greeted with dinosaurs along the route.
The museum was spacious and well layed out. There were so many dinosaurs we were overwhelmed. The cafe was reasonably priced with a great selection of food. A menu in English was available.
