Paleontological research and exhibition have been hallmarks of the Science Museum of Minnesota since its founding in 1907. The Department's mission is to collect, research, and care for the fossilized remains of past life and to promote the professional and public understanding of extinct and modern life on Earth. Science Museum paleontologists take an interdisciplinary approach to their research programs by integrating information from fossil and living organisms to extract answers to questions of broad evolutionary significance. Staff conduct original research, collect new data through field and lab-based explorations, preserve fossils through curation of our collection, and bring paleontology to the public through exhibits and educational programming.

A New Twist in Megafauna History Cave explorers recently discovered bones of large prehistoric creatures previously unknown to Minnesota. In the March-April 2009 Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, David Mather interviews Bruce Erickson, the museum's chair of paleontology, about his firsthand knowledge of the megafauna relics in the museum's exhibits and collection vaults. A New Twist in Megafauna History (article) Science Museum Underground (slideshow)

Discoveries and Exhibits

• Dinosaurs & Fossils Gallery

For more information, email or call (651) 221-9424.