The Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs features an impressive collection of dinosaur fossils including Tyrannosaurus rex, Apatosaurus, and a dinosaur trackway.
Interesting facts about dinosaurs
- Dinosaurs ruled Earth for an astounding 165 million years, with non-avian species vanishing about 66 million years ago, likely due to catastrophic events like a massive asteroid impact.
- The Tyrannosaurus rex, a star attraction at the American Museum of Natural History dinosaur exhibit, was one of the most formidable predators, with a bite about 10 times stronger than that of an alligator.
- Millions of years ago, one dino species sprouted feathers and took to the skies. Every bird you know today, from penguins to pigeons, has evolved from dinosaurs!
- Not all dinosaurs were built alike. While the Compsognathus was no bigger than a chicken, the largest dinosaurs were comparable to the length of a Boeing 737 or the weight of 12 elephants!
- Triceratops had about 800 teeth! Their mouths contained up to 40 columns of teeth on each side. Each column had 3-5 teeth stacked on top of one another. As older teeth wore down, new ones grew, ensuring they could always chew through tough plant material.
- Dinosaurs are named using a two-part scientific system: the genus (capitalized) and the specific epithet (lowercase), both italicized. Names are often derived from Greek or Latin words, describing their unique features or honoring individuals. For example, T. rex stands for Tyrannosaurus rex, meaning tyrant lizard king.
