Dinosphere: Now You’re In Their World®

Among lush foliage, as birds squawk overhead and insects chirp, suddenly you come face to face with two long-necked, plant-eating sauropods, the stars of Giants of the Jurassic™. How did these massive creatures live? How did they grow so large? Exactly how long are the sauropods (both of which were excavated by our paleontologists, by the way)? Walk in their footprints and learn more about their way of life.

Ever wanted to stare down a T. rex? You can (safely!) inside Creatures of the Cretaceous®. This area is also home to other notable Cretaceous Period creatures, including Triceratops, Hypacrosaurus, Bambiraptor, and Gorgosaurus. How did the mighty T. rex and others around the watering hole live during this time? Dig into their lives by examining fossil clues and learn more about the process of discovering and excavating fossils. Visit the play dig site and then learn more about the museum’s findings from The Jurassic Mile® in Wyoming.

Dive into ancient waters—the Mesozoic Seas—to see fossils that show us how animals adapted to Earth’s changing environments. But watch out overhead! There’s a giant Archelon swimming by, skimming past the mighty Elasmosaurus.

See how your height stacks up to an ammonite (an extinct mollusk) and learn how marine reptiles, such as the Baptanodon and Plioplatecarpus, hunted underwater.

Draw, sculpt, and design a day in the life of a dinosaur. Dinosphere Art Lab lets you try your hand at paleoart, which is art that depicts prehistoric life. Here, you can: design a dinosaur hatchling, scan it, and watch it come to life on a large projection screen, sculpt a dinosaur egg, create a dinosaur dinner scene, trace a dinosaur trackway, animate a dinosaur, and create a dino comic strip.

It’s science, up close! Talk to real scientists and touch real dinosaur bones.In the R.B. Annis Mission Jurassic Paleo Lab and the Polly H. Hix Paleo Prep Lab, our paleontology team cleans, prepares, and researches the fossils they have excavated from The Jurassic Mile®, the museum’s active dig site in northern Wyoming.

A large open window allows you to get up close to the action. Ask all of your burning questions (don’t be shy—our team LOVES to talk about their work!) and touch real fossils!