The museum's ground plan is designed to resemble the three-toed footprint of a theropod dinosaur.
The Asturian 'Dinosaur Coast' is home to one of the most significant concentrations of dinosaur footprints in Europe.
The museum is strategically located on a 'rasa', a flattened coastal platform typical of the northern Spanish shoreline.
Exhibits include original specimens from the local Lastres and Tereñes formations.
The outdoor park contains over 20 life-sized dinosaur models, including a Tyrannosaurus rex and a Diplodocus.
The museum serves as the scientific base for the study and preservation of ichnites found in the region's flysch rock layers.
The building's dome-like roof structure is designed to mimic the texture and form of fossilized skin.
Many of the local footprint sites are accessible for free exploration along the nearby cliffs independent of the museum visit.
The Jurassic Museum of Asturias (MUJA) is uniquely housed within a structure shaped like a tridactyl dinosaur footprint, reflecting the region's rich paleontological heritage. Situated on the Rasa de San Telmo, the museum overlooks the Cantabrian Sea and the coastline known as the 'Dinosaur Coast'. Its permanent exhibition chronologically covers the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. The collection features a significant number of original fossils discovered along the Asturian cliffs between Gijón and Ribadesella. A central atrium showcases life-sized skeletal reconstructions, including iconic predators and herbivores. Outdoor gardens display full-scale replicas of dinosaurs that once inhabited the Iberian Peninsula. The site provides geological context for the limestone formations characteristic of the local Jurassic period. Visitors can observe how these coastal fossil sites have shaped current understanding of prehistoric biodiversity.
The elevated outdoor viewing platform facing the Cantabrian Sea with the full-scale T-Rex model in the foreground.
Check the tide charts before visiting, as the best nearby coastal footprints are only visible at low tide.
Allow extra time to walk the outdoor garden path to view the life-sized dinosaur replicas.
Use the museum's educational signage to identify which specific footprints on the nearby coast you are viewing.
Do not attempt to hike the cliffside trails to see footprints without sturdy footwear and prior knowledge of tide times.
Typically closed on Mondays and Tuesdays during the off-season; check official calendar for seasonal schedule adjustments.
