TAMPA, Fla. — If you've ever wanted to get up and close and personal with a dinosaur, now is your chance. The creatures that once roamed the Earth millions of years ago are finding home in Tampa this weekend and next – in animatronic form, of course. 

What You Need To Know

  •  Jurassic Quest will be at the Florida State Fairgrounds this weekend and July 28-30

  •  The traveling exhibit features dozens of true-to-size, animatronic dinosaurs

  •  There are activities for kids of all ages, including a fossil dig, bounce houses and an interactive challenge

As a kid, Brianna Broussard loved dinosaurs, so when she saw an opportunity to work with her favorite creature, there was no question. 

Broussard has been traveling with Jurassic Quest for the last year. As a dino trainer, she spends her days wrangling the baby dinosaurs at the exhibit. 

“I feed them, I take care of them," Broussard said. "I teach them new tricks, of course with the help of the kiddos my new certified dinosaur trainers. I make sure that they are transported OK — these are live dinosaurs, so we’ve got to make sure that they’re transported, safe and nice.”

Baby dinos are just the start of what you'll find at Jurassic Quest. As you walk through the exhibit, dozens of lifelike, animoatronic dinosaurs tower over you, documenting millions of years of history. You can also ride a dino, dig for fossils and participate in an interactive challenge.

Dinosaur expert Park Ranger Marty Hoffman said the goal of the exhibit is to entertain and educate.

“I always call dinosaurs the ‘gateway science’ because if your kid is into dinosaurs, all of a sudden they’re learning about biology, astronomy and geology," Hoffman said. "They’re learning all these different things just because they think dinosaurs are cool.”

The experience is meant for the whole family. Broussard said she hopes everyone leaves with a new appreciation for the prehistoric creatures. 

“I want them to walk away of course with memories," she said. "Here at Jurassic Quest we’re enriching, we’re immersive, this is an environment where kids can really blossom and explore all their creative sides with dinosaurs. I just want everyone to walk away with fun, long-lasting memories of course.”

Jurassic Quest will be at the Florida State Fairgrounds this weekend and July 28-30. Organizers recommend buying tickets ahead of time online, but they can also be purchased at the door. Admission is free for children under 2.

For more information, visit the Jurassic Quest website.