Madeline Reece visited Blenheim Palace on behalf of B4 with her grandchildren to experience Dinosaurs Are Forever. While the spectacular life-size dinosaurs were the reason for the visit, Madeline discovered that watching her grandchildren explore the Palace and its magnificent grounds became just as memorable. Here, Madeline shares her experience of a very special family day out.
I recently had the pleasure of taking my grandchildren to Blenheim Palace on behalf of B4 to experience Dinosaurs Are Forever, and I think it’s fair to say we were all excited to see what was waiting for us. The dinosaurs certainly didn’t disappoint. Seeing these incredible life-size sculptures in the surroundings of Blenheim Palace is quite something. The scale of them captures children’s imaginations immediately, while the story behind them – bringing together art, science and engineering – gives adults plenty to appreciate too. There’s also something rather special about experiencing dinosaurs at Blenheim Palace given Oxfordshire’s remarkable connection with the Megalosaurus and the history of dinosaur discovery. But what I hadn’t necessarily expected was how much my grandchildren would enjoy everything else about Blenheim Palace .
Of course, the dinosaurs were hugely exciting, but as we made our way around the Palace and grounds, I found myself enjoying their reactions to the whole experience just as much. They were interested in the Palace, fascinated by what they were seeing and loved having the freedom to explore the grounds. It turned what could simply have been a trip to see an exhibition into a proper family day out. Perhaps one of the things I enjoyed most was seeing them completely engaged with what was around them.
Children today have so much competing for their attention in a digital world. Yet here we were, surrounded by history, architecture, gardens, enormous open spaces – and, admittedly, some very large dinosaurs – and they were completely absorbed by it. There was no need for a screen to entertain them. There was always something else to see, somewhere else to explore or another question to ask. As a grandparent, that was lovely to watch.
The Palace itself added a completely different dimension to the day. It gave us an opportunity to talk about history and the things we were seeing, while outside the sheer space and beauty of Blenheim Palace meant the children could explore and enjoy themselves without the day ever feeling overly structured.
I think that’s what makes Dinosaurs Are Forever such a good addition to Blenheim Palace . The dinosaurs give families a fantastic reason to visit, particularly if you have children or grandchildren who are fascinated by them. But once you’re there, you realise that they’re only one part of the experience.
For us, the real pleasure came from combining everything together – the excitement of discovering the dinosaurs, exploring the Palace, walking through the grounds and simply spending time with each other. We went to Blenheim Palace expecting the dinosaurs to be the highlight.
They were certainly spectacular, but seeing my grandchildren enjoy Blenheim Palace and its grounds so much was probably the biggest highlight for me. It was one of those days when everyone came away having enjoyed something slightly different – and with plenty to talk about afterwards.
If you’re looking for somewhere to take the family, and particularly the grandchildren, I would certainly recommend making a day of it. Go for the dinosaurs, absolutely. But give yourselves plenty of time to discover everything else Blenheim Palace has to offer as well. We loved it so much I’m off to get an Annual Pass!
Madeline Reece, on behalf of B4
Find out more: Dinosaurs Are Forever at Blenheim Palace