Our museums will be closed until further notice to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Our first priority is the well-being and safety of our guests, staff and volunteers. Stay up to date with NHMLAC's response to COVID-19.​​​ Nuestros museos estarán cerrados hasta nuevo aviso para minimizar la propagación del COVID-19. Ve la respuesta de NHMLAC ante el coronavirus (COVID-19).

Dinosaur Lab

Watch real scientists prepare fossils every day.

kids looking into dino lab

Peek behind the scenes to see real paleontologists preparing their latest fossil discoveries. At the Dinosaur Lab, you can watch fossil preparators up close carefully chipping away rock to reveal the bones of dinosaurs and other prehistoric reptiles.

Preparator works on large bone in the Dino Lab

It takes days of careful work to clean a single bone.

Girl feels dinosaur tooth in Dino Lab

Touch a dinosaur tooth.

Detailed preparation in Dino Lab

Paleontologists carefully chip away stone from fossil bones.

Couple looks into Dino Lab

Real fossils and real paleontologists.

Young girl looks through window in Dino Lab

Eye-to-eye with a skull from millions of years ago.

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It takes days of careful work to clean a single bone.

Touch a dinosaur tooth.

Paleontologists carefully chip away stone from fossil bones.

Real fossils and real paleontologists.

Eye-to-eye with a skull from millions of years ago.

While you're visiting, you'll:

  • Learn how fossils are brought back to life.
  • Touch a dinosaur footprint.
  • See new discoveries before they are even announced.
expedition in utah for r&c
Dinosaurs in the Desert
A crew heads to the Badlands of Utah and New Mexico and return with (literally) tons of fossil treasure, plus a few big surprises.
Read more