BE ADVISED: On Wednesday 10/15, the museum will close at 2 pm in preparation for a large event, with some areas closed to the public all day. Please plan your visit accordingly. For more information or to reschedule your visit, email info@nhm.org or call 213.763.DINO.

A Fossilized Turtle Revealed

Uncover the methods behind preparing fossils with Vertebrate Paleontology Department preparator Alan Zdinak.

By: Tyler Hayden

Ever wonder how a fossil goes from the field to the collection? Explore the methods and tools our museum technicians use to prepare fossils from the field with Vertebrate Paleontology preparator Alan Zdinak as he prepares 30-million year old turtle bones. From the jackets that keep fossils safe after excavation, to the teeny picks used to clean sediment, our preparators are busy getting fossils ready for the collection and further study. It's an exacting and essential process on the road from the field to scientific research.

Preparator James Preston working on fossils from home.
A Different Kind of Prepping
For Vertebrate Paleontology Preparator James Preston, science doesn’t stop.
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