Teessaurus Park: A FREE, Fun For All Day Out in Teesside

Join us as we step back in time to the dino-filled Teessaurus Park, nestled right in the industrial heart of Teesside. This historical, fun for all the family day out is FREE and a great way to spend the afternoon with your family in Teesside.

The History of Teessaurus Park

The park first began its life in 1979 when commissioning sculptor Genevieve Glatt created a £16,000 life sized triceratops named Teessaurus. The sculpture was originally crafted as an entry for the Art to Landscape competition which hones in on UK public spaces that were under used and could be transformed to benefit the community. For me this captures the site perfectly!

Evolution of Teessaurus Park

Since its birth, the park has only grown to become more vibrant. In 1987 two baby triceratops were added to accompany Teessaurus and from then on various other dinosaurs were added. From the late 80's onwards we saw the addition of a mammoth, stegosaurus, tyrannosaurus rex, brachiosaurus and a brontosaurus. These additional dinosaurs were sculpted by workers on the government Youth and Employment Training Scheme at Amarc Training and Safety. Just recently the dinosaurs have undergone a more lively paint job which makes the park feel much more inviting.

Visiting Teessaurus Park

Where is Teessaurus Park

Not surprisingly, given that the dinosaurs are made from local steel, you'll find Teessaurus Park in the heart of the steel city. The address for Teessaurus Park is as follows:

Teessaurus Park, Riverside Park Road, Middlesbrough, TS2 1QE.

Google unfortunately currently displays the wrong postcode of TS23 1PZ which directs you to the wrong side of the river.

What Facilities Are Available at Teessaurus Park?

Unfortunately there are very little facilities currently at Teessaurus Park. There are no toilets or food options on site. If you're visiting in summer time, or on a dry day (good old British weather, ey) I'd definitely recommend taking a picnic. If not there are plenty of food options nearby in Middlesbrough or Teesside Park.

What is The Cost to Visit Teessaurus Park?

Teessaurus Park as well as the car park is totally free to visit.

Is Teessaurus Park Accessible?

A gravel track runs around the outside of the green area. From here you can see all dinos apart from the two baby stegosaurus' at the top of the hill. This particular track is accessible and suitable for prams and I'd assume wheelchairs too. The hilly area however, not so much. With that being said, I'd still recommend Teessaurus Park for those with access needs.

My Review of Teessaurus Park

I've visited Teessaurus Park on a number of different occasions with my children. We've been when it's glorious sunshine and there's families camped up on the grass. The vibes are impeccable and we've spent hours there. Equally we've been in those colder, harsher winter months. Those times where you see a gap in the rain and have to just seize the opportunity. It's a brilliant way to spend an hour or so (weather dependent) in the Teesside area and I'm sure we'll be back again soon.

The dinosaurs are spectacular! They're all so large and in charge, it's hard not to be captivated by them. Especially since their recent paint job! I love the vibrancy of the dinos set against the industrial river Tees. Each dinosaur comes with its own interactive information plaque. Unfortunately I couldn't get the QR code to work however the information written on the plaques were a plenty. They certainly raised a lot of questions from my five year old. I could have done with the QR codes working - They might have helped me answer her questions!

The trail itself isn't too long. If you didn't have kids you could easily walk around in less than half an hour. With kids however (like with everything) things take a little longer and I'd recommend setting at least an hour aside to enjoy the trail and the play park.

The play park is perfect for my children. It's definitely aimed at younger kids, as unfortunately there's not a lot there that would interest older kids or teens. You'll find a zip line, roundabout, slide and activity aparaptus. It's enough for my two, however I can't help but think it's not as substantial as it could or should be. The play park is a newer addition to Teessaurus Park so perhaps there's more to come? Let's hope so!

Is Teessaurus Park Worth Visiting?

Yes! I do think the park is worth visiting, however it's a 1-1.5 hour excursion max. So do be prepared that it's not an all day thing. I'd recommend tieing it in with a trip to Teesside Park or Preston Farm if you wanted to extend your adventures.

Have you visited Teessaurus Park before? Do you think it's something you or your kids would be into?