Guide to visiting the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum

• Table of Contents
• Let's prepare in advance
• latest! 3 must-see spots within the museum
• Let's make a schedule for the day
• About shopping and dining
• A must-see for those coming by public transportation! How to get to the dinosaur museum & advantageous information
• Hotels and accommodations near Dinosaur Museum
• Let's have fun at the renovated dinosaur museum

Let's prepare in advance

buy tickets

Currently, advance reservations are required to enter the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum. Once you have decided on your visit date, please make your reservation as soon as possible. Same-day tickets are sold at the museum entrance only when there are still reservations left, but they may be sold out during long holidays and summer vacations, so it's best to secure them early.
Click here for ticket types and prices.

Click here for ticket purchase details

Make reservations for the fossil excavation experience in advance.

Fossil excavation experiences include outdoor fossil excavations that take you outside the park by bus, and fossil excavation experiences that take place within Katsuyama Dinosaur Forest Park. Both require reservations in advance, so don't forget to make a reservation!
Reservations fill up quickly during long holidays and summer vacations, so we recommend making reservations early.

latest! 3 must-see spots within the museum

1. An impressive moving Tyrannosaurus robot

On the first basement floor of the main building, a moving robot Tyrannosaurus will greet you. This robot is so reproducible that you can't help but back away from it. The Tyrannosaurus shakes its head and tail and has an outstanding presence. It's a little scary, but I'm drawn to this robot.

2. 3-sided dyno theater

An impressive theater with three large screens located in the special exhibition room. The screen will display images that recreate the current Fukui Station area and what it looked like in the early Cretaceous period 120,000,000 years ago. Every time a dinosaur appears on the screen, the vibrations of footsteps spread throughout the theater, creating an impressive atmosphere.

3. “Mummy fossil of the herbivorous dinosaur Brachylophosaurus” unveiled for the first time in Japan

You can see the actual mummy fossil of Brachylophosaurus, which has skin marks all over its body. Skin scars can be seen on 80-90% of the body. You can experience the dinosaurs of that time first-hand, and it gives us a sense of romance. Mummy fossils are so rare that fewer than 10 have been confirmed in the world.

Let's make a schedule for the day

When you go outside the Dinosaur Museum, you can experience the Katsuyama Dino Park and fossil excavation within the park, or take a private bus to go outside the park. There are also special exhibitions held during the summer holidays, and there are many places to visit, so it's a good idea to plan your day in advance to make your visit smooth and efficient.

■Recommended model course April to November ver.

9:00~11:00 Tour the dinosaur museum and look at souvenirs at the museum shop

11:00~12:30 Lunch at DINO Cafe

13:00~15:00 Let's experience excavation at the outdoor dinosaur museum and fossil excavation experience in the park!

15:00~16:00 Dino Park

16:00~17:00 Search for souvenirs at Geoterminal and Rainbow House

*Usually, the fossil excavation experience period at the outdoor dinosaur museum is from mid-July to early November, and the fossil excavation experience period inside the park is from late March to late November.

■Recommended model course: December to March ver.

9:00~11:00 Tour the dinosaur museum and look at souvenirs at the museum shop

11:00~12:00 Snow activities such as cross country and sledding at Snowland

13:00~14:00 Lunch at Zaurus Kitchen

14:00~16:00 Experience in the museum (fossil excavation plus)

16:00~17:00 Search for souvenirs at Geoterminal and Rainbow House

*Depending on snowfall conditions, the Snowland event period within the park may be shortened or extended.

About shopping and dining

It will be reopened in July 2023, with an even more spacious space and many new menu items. Not only Fukui Prefecture's famous sauce katsudon and grated soba, but as you eat, you'll discover something new! ? The menu is sure to be enjoyed by a wide range of people, from children to the elderly. I hope you enjoy it. The museum shop has also expanded, with a wide selection of museum-only sweets and dinosaur goods that will leave you wanting more. Get your own favorite goods.

There is also a souvenir shop in front of the Dinosaur Museum called ``Souvenir Shop Furaputuru''.

It is one of the largest dinosaur specialty stores in Japan, and there are many items that are not sold at the shops inside the dinosaur museum, so be sure to check them out as well. There is also a restaurant called ``Saurus Kitchen'' in the same building.
If the restaurant inside the dinosaur museum is crowded, we recommend eating here.

A must-see for those coming by public transportation! How to get to the dinosaur museum & advantageous information

・Let's go to the Dinosaur Museum with a great value set ticket using Echizen Railway!

We have a great value set ticket that includes a one-day pass on the Echizen Railway, unlimited bus rides in Katsuyama City(Daifuku Kotsu bus only), and an admission fee to the Dinosaur Museum permanent exhibition!

Click here for details on Echizen Railway discount set tickets

Hotels and accommodations near Dinosaur Museum

There are 15 accommodation facilities in Katsuyama City, where the Dinosaur Museum is located, including hotels, guesthouses, inns, and pensions. (As of December 18th)

Depending on the number of guests including family and friends and the style of your stay,

For those who love the outdoors, there is also a campsite.

List of accommodation facilities in Katsuyama City

Let's have fun at the renovated dinosaur museum

Until the end Thank you for reading.

Please use this as a reference when visiting the Dinosaur Museum.

Spend a day with dinosaurs and you might just fall in love with dinosaurs! ? If you like dinosaurs, you might like them even more! ?

Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum

911-8601 51-11 Terao, Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture

Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture is known nationwide as a treasure trove of dinosaur fossils. Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is one of the world's leading dinosaur museums. The vast, immersive space is filled with exhibits of dinosaur skeletons, fossils, specimens, dioramas, reconstructed models, and more, allowing you to see impressive dinosaurs up close. The area surrounding the museum is also full of experiences such as fossil excavations and play equipment, making it an area that the whole family can enjoy. The Dinosaur Tower, which reopened in July 2023 and appeared in the new small egg hall, is a must-see. In the atrium of the new building, there is a 13m-tall monument called the Dinosaur Tower, which features five species of dinosaurs and one species of bird discovered in Fukui. In addition, the facility has been upgraded to be a facility that can be enjoyed in all seasons, including the impressive ``3-sided Dino Theater'' and the ``Fossil Research Experience'' .