The Dinosaurs and Fossils Gallery amazes with world-class pre-historic dinosaur and fossil displays and interactive exhibits covering 10,000 square feet.

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)

Gallery Highlights

Diplodocus: The mounted skeleton of the 82-foot-long Diplodocus joined the museum in 1990 and is one of the largest creatures ever to roam the earth. The Science Museum's Diplodocus was discovered by Minnesota high school students.

Stegosaurus: Was this a solar-powered dinosaur? Learn why some scientists think so when you check out the cast skeleton of Stegosaurus, a dinosaur known for distinctive plates along the ridge of its back.

Triceratops: The Science Museum's Triceratops, one of only four real mounted Triceratops specimens in the world, is also the largest complete Triceratops specimen on display. It is one of the most treasured pieces in the museum's collection.

Camptosaurus: The Science Museum's Camptosaurus, a unique highlight of the paleontology collection since 1991, is the largest Camptosaurus by far that has ever been discovered.

T. rex Jaws Interactive: Tyrannosaurus rex was a formidable predator with massive jaws capable of taking down large prey. Operate a giant set of T. rex jaws and recreate the T. rex's trademark powerful, giant-sized bite.

Primeval Swamp: What happened in North America after the dinosaurs died out? In the Primeval Swamp, you can travel back 60 million years to find out. See what North Dakota looked like once crocodiles replaced dinosaurs at the top of the food chain. Real fossils and interactive exhibits address the topics of climate change and evolution. When Crocodiles Ruled is the product of more than twenty years of Science Museum fieldwork and research at Wannagan Creek, North Dakota.

Fossil Mammals: See an ancient "saber tooth" cat, a prehistoric camel, and a menagerie of other prehistoric creatures from South Dakota.