Dinosaur World (Florida)

Dinosaur World (Florida)
For other uses, see Dinosaur World.
Dinosaur World
Dinosaur World (Plant City, Florida) entrance 02.jpg
Dinosaur World Entrance
Location Plant City, Florida, Cave City, Kentucky, Glen Rose, Texas
Website http://www.dinosaurworld.com
Owner Christer Svensson
Opened November 1998
Slogan Over 150 life-size dinosaurs

Dinosaur World is the name of three outdoor dinosaur theme parks. Locations include Plant City, Florida, Glen Rose, Texas, and Cave City, Kentucky. The parks features over 150 life-size dinosaur sculptures[1] created by Christer Svensson. The Florida location opened in November 1998, the Kentucky and Texas locations followed shortly after.

The sculptures are made from polystyrene plastic and covered with fiberglass. Each dinosaur is made in Sweden before being shipped to the American parks.[2] About three new dinosaur replicas are added each year.[3] Visitors tour Dinosaur World on a boardwalk that takes them past stegosaurus, brontosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex and other popular dinosaurs set among natural marshes with cypress and gum trees.[4]

Contents

Exhibits

  • Dinosaur Walk - outdoor trail with life-size dinosaurs and explanatory signs
  • Boneyard
  • Fossil Dig
  • Movie Cave
  • Museum

Creationism

Dinosaur World asserts that the dinosaur models presented are "scientifically accurate", however, [5] the theme park's website and gift store offer materials presenting a creationist interpretation, and advertises that the park hosts field trips for groups that teach a "literal interpretation of the biblical account of creation", including the assurance that "there are very few 'millions of years ago' references" on the informational plaques for each exhibit.[5][2] PZ Myers, a biology professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris, criticized Dinosaur World on his blog, Pharyngula, calling the park's owners "sneaky" in reference to the park's purportedly deliberate intention to obscure a "religious agenda".[6] In response to this criticism, Dinosaur World removed references to their support of creationism from the English version of their website,[7] but left other language versions intact.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ "Orlando: Magic, thrill rides and gators", Adam Stone, Federal Times, August 10, 2010
  2. ^ a b Review: Dinosaur World, Plant City, Florida, RoadsideAmerica.com, retrieved July 26, 2011
  3. ^ "Tampa's roadside dinosaur attraction is thriving" USA Today, August 29, 2005
  4. ^ "Dinosaur World visitors get life-size glimpse of the past," Michelle Jones, Jan. 15, 1999, St. Petersburg Times.
  5. ^ a b Michael Segers (2003). "A Teacher's Guide to Dinosaur World". Dinosaur World, Inc.. http://www.dinosaurworld.com/images/edu_group_info/TeachersGuide.pdf. 
  6. ^ Myers, PZ. "Just another roadside attraction". Pharyngula. Seed Media Group. http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/07/just_another_roadside_attracti.php. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ Información educativa en el mundo de los dinosaurios. (in Spanish)
  9. ^ Information sur l'éducation au monde des dinosaures. (in French)

External links

Coordinates: 28°01′43″N 82°11′22″W / 28.02873°N 82.18949°W / 28.02873; -82.18949

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