In accordance with the L.A. City Municipal Code Ordinance mandate, beginning November 4, all eligible patrons are required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test performed within 72 hours. Visitors 18+ must also show a valid photo ID. View our COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for more information.  On October 23 the museum will be closing early at 2 pm.

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.
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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.
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So many ways to experience dinosaurs at NHM