Which U.S. Museums Have the Best Dinosaur Exhibit?
Going to a museum is one of the best ways to learn about dinosaurs and the Mesozoic era. Not only do these exhibits showcase the impressive creatures, but they contain valuable information about them. However, there are countless museums nationwide, and some have better displays than others. We’ve highlighted the U.S. museums with the best dinosaur exhibits so you can create your list of places to go!
Smithsonian National Museum, Washington, D.C.
The nation’s capital is home to countless historic sites, and the Smithsonian National Museum in Washington, D.C., houses one of the world’s largest dinosaur fossil collections. In the Hall of Fossils, you can explore creatures from the earliest points in Earth’s history.
At the Smithsonian National Museum, you can view fascinating fossils such as a T. rex grabbing a Triceratops, a Hadrosaurid’s skull, or a Pachycephalosaurian dinosaur’s cast. The Smithsonian is also home to the FossiLab, where scientists work hard to conserve, repair, and record fossils.
American Museum of Natural History, New York
The bustling city of New York, New York, is home to over 100 dinosaur fossils. One of the most noteworthy displays is a cast of a Titanosaur; the sauropod is over 122 feet long. While at the American Museum of Natural History, you can also view fossils of T. rex, Allosaurus, Velociraptor, and even naturally mummified dinosaurs.
While here, you may check out different areas, such as the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs, to view fossils of the Stegosaurus, Ankylosaurus, or Triceratops, to name a few. The museum carefully organizes each dinosaur hall according to the evolutionary traits of the creatures.
Field Museum of Natural History, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois, is home to many well-known national museums. The Field Museum has one of the best dinosaur exhibits in the U.S. This museum houses SUE, the world’s most complete T. rex fossil. The Field Museum also has fossils of Apatosaurus, Brachiosaurus, and a Titanosaur.
The Field Museum also offers an overnight program called Dozin’ with the Dinos families with young children. During their overnight stay, kids will do numerous activities, including learning to identify different fossils as they venture through dinosaur exhibits.
A Bonus Fact
From 1956 to 1992, this museum displayed the fossilized remains of a Gorgosaurus affectionately named George.
Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, Colorado
The Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center in Colorado Springs, CO, is a perfect place to go if you want to see numerous fossils of creatures that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. This museum reserves over 12,000 square feet for its dinosaur exhibit, and you can watch paleontologists work in the on-site lab.
If you vacation to Colorado to see this museum, you may also plan a stop at Dinosaur Ridge Trail to view fossilized dinosaur tracks. The infamous track site is roughly an hour and a half drive from The Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center.
A Bonus Fact
Moreover, this museum has the most complete fossil of a Pachycephalosaurus, a herbivorous dinosaur with a nine-inch-thick skull.
Buy Dinosaur Figures
Creative Beast Studio sells the best dinosaur action figures for collectors of all ages. Selections such as our raptors collection include various beasts, including Velociraptor figures. Organize your action figures to create the perfect at-home museum to view the beasts whenever you want!
