The Quarry Visitor Center has experienced continuing problems with foundation movement since its construction on expansive soils in 1957. The building was closed in July 2006 due to the serious life and safety hazards caused by this movement. The National Park Service (NPS) is working to re-open the famous cliff face of dinosaur bones as quickly as possible.

Door frames, walls, and floors warped from extreme foundation movement.

Tilting walls of the rotunda wing weakened supports to ceiling and roof.

The east glass wall of the exhibit hall broke free of the foundation.

Shattered wall in library of Quarry Visitor Center.

The Quarry Visitor Center is closed – can I still see fossils?
Yes! There is a Temporary Visitor Center near the Quarry Visitor Center that contains real fossils and exhibits. You can take the Fossil Discovery Hike (approx. 1.5 miles round trip) and see a variety of fossils still embedded in rock.

The Plan Your Visit and Things to Do pages have more information on activities within Dinosaur National Monument, including ranger-led programs, hiking, petroglyph viewing, and river rafting.

Project Status
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced a $13.1 million investment to demolish and replace condemned portions of the Quarry Visitor Center at Dinosaur National Monument in April, 2009. The Quarry Visitor Center project is one of nearly 800 projects totaling $750 million that can be completed across the country with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

Construction drawings for the new facilities were completed in September, 2009. A pre-bid construction meeting is scheduled for November. The construction contract is anticipated to be awarded in December. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2010 and last between 12 and 18 months. The visitor center reopening could be as early as summer 2011.

The exhibit hall that protects and provides public access to the 1,500 dinosaur fossils will be rehabilitated. The remainder of the building will be demolished and the visitor center functions will be relocated to a new building approximately ½ mile away.