Teessaurus Park in Middlesbrough is a genuine hidden gem, and one that we have only recently discovered. As it turns out, a lot of locals didn't even know about it, if the comments on my recent Facebook post are anything to go by.
When we first discovered it, a few weeks ago, I thought that it was a fairly recent creation, as all the sculptures looked like they were in excellent condition, but it turns out that it has actually been in place since 1979, with the dinos having been recently painted to give some colour, as they were previously grey steel. The Triceratops on the central mound was installed first, with others being added a few years later.
This is a 10 acre site, right on the banks of the River Tees and contains a collection of HUGE dinosaur sculptures. If your kids are into dinos, they will absolutely love this place. The entrance is in Riverside Park Industrial estate and there isn't much else around, but it's definitely worth a look. Some great photo opportunities of the dinos and the views of the river.
Currently, the only facilities onsite consist of a small car park, however, there are plans in place for some major improvements, including;
A café unit with toilets, customer seating and a serving hatch for take away refreshments.
Enhanced lighting throughout the park to be installed on columns and located to illuminate paths and the dinosaur sculptures.
Improved footpaths throughout the park to improve accessibility.
A children’s zip wire and embankment slide.
Accessible children’s play equipment for children with disabilities.
Installation of three CCTV cameras mounted to columns.
Motion sensors and sound system installed on columns close to dinosaur sculptures to make dinosaur sounds when visitors pass them.
Points of interest around the park including installation of large outdoor fixed dinosaur-themed jigsaw puzzles and large dinosaur footprints.
Improved signage to direct visitors to the park from the A66.
Improved new signage around the park including educational signage providing information on each dinosaur. (This had already been installed on our recent visit.)
I can't wait to see how these improvements progress and how it all looks once the work is completed. There were plans, a few years ago, to remove the dinosaurs. Personally, I am so happy that this didn't happen and that the council have had the sense to see the potential this gem has.
Need to know
Free entry
No booking required
Car park onsite
No toilets (at the time of writing this post)
Good access to most of the sculptures, though anyone with mobility issues may struggle to reach the Triceratops on the hill
Postcode TS2 1QE
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