Beyond T. rex

Only a small fraction of the 400-plus known species of extinct dinosaurs have appeared on TV and movie screens. Meet some of the more unusual members of T. rex and Velociraptor's family tree.

Fossilized Fashion: How Dinosaurs Looked

We know that some dinosaurs had fancy frills while others had sharp horns or pointy spikes. But why? Investigate the purpose of these and other dinosaur "fashions."

Theropods Compared

Chances are you've eaten a dinosaur ... and thought it tasted just like chicken. Investigate theropods—a branch of dinosaur family tree that includes all birds—with this interactive look at their skeletons.

Drawing Dinos

Ever wonder how scientists can look at a bunch of bones and draw what a dinosaur looked like? Learn their five-step trick. Then, bring a Stegosaurus skeleton to life.

Make Your Own Dino Stationery

Type your notes next to T. rex, send letters via Diatryma, or let Gondwanatitan deliver your message. Just add your name and address to these colorful stationery files.

Dinosaur Illustrations

Ankylosaurus, Barosaurus, Coelophysis—add to your dinosaur vocabulary with these 12 illustrations. Soon you'll be able to spot a Pachycephalosaurus from across the room.

Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries

Dinosaur fossils are being discovered faster than ever before. See how everything from satellite technology to scanning electron microscopes are helping to solve persistent and puzzling dinosaur mysteries.

Observe a Dinosaur

Ever wish you could watch a dinosaur in action? Investigate modern birds for an insightful look at how ancient dinosaurs moved and behaved.

Thump, Thump, Thump ... How Dinosaurs Moved

Want to see firsthand how a dinosaur moved? Observe a bird as it walks along the sidewalk or in your backyard. Then challenge a friend to a "push-up" race—dinosaur versus crocodile.

Fossil Halls

Take a virtual stroll through the Museum's Fossil Halls any time, day or night. You can get a close-up look at some of our most famous dinosaurs and meet the early relatives of mammals.

Face-to-Fossil

Join the inquisitive Deena Soris as she interviews the fossil of a Protoceratops. This dashing dino, dug up in Mongolia in the 1920s, offers insight into his former life—and the secrets he's still keeping.

Flesh Out a Fossil

Discover how artists bring dinosaur skeletons to life with skin, feathers, and other features. Then try to create your own lifelike Velociraptor from a skeletal drawing.

Going Gobi

Who would travel halfway around the world to spend the summer in a desert where brutal sandstorms and surprise flash floods are on the itinerary? Meet Mike and Mark, who've made the trek annually since 1990.

Fighting Dinos

About 80 million years ago in the Gobi Desert, two dinosaurs were locked in deadly combat when they were suddenly buried alive. See what's been called one of the greatest fossil specimens ever found.

Fighting Dinosaurs: New Discoveries from Mongolia

Travel to Mongolia's famed Gobi Desert for a look at some amazing fossils you've never seen before. For starters, there's a fierce Velociraptor that was apparently buried alive while attacking a Protoceratops.

Buried Bones

The next time you have chicken, don't throw out the bones—bury them in plaster of Paris. Then, scrape by scrape, see firsthand the challenges archaeologists face when excavating fossils.

Finding Fossils

You don't have to be a professional paleontologist to collect the remains of ancient life. Anyone can find fossils. This handy how-to guide tells you where to look and what to do.

Plates on the Move

A volcanic eruption that could be felt across an ocean, an earthquake that sparked landslides, massive tsunamis, and a volcanic eruption ... Examine the world-changing results of plates on the move.

Solve a Sedimentary Layers Puzzle

The history of life on Earth is recorded in the planet's rock layers. Try your hand at reconstructing geologic history with this fossil-filled puzzle.

What's the Big Idea? Earth Science

From slow creeping continents to ground-splitting quakes, the Earth is constantly changing. Take a peek at our planet's layers, learn what secrets rocks reveal, and gain a long view of history.

How Does the Ocean Floor Get Its Shape?

What powers the floating layers of rock that form the "solid" ground underneath our feet and under the ocean? Examine the process of convection and the sculpting of Earth's surface.