Discover the Dinosaurs
T. Boone Pickens
Life Then and Now Hall
Dig in!
Towering dinosaurs, rare fossils and virtual paleo-habitats are just a few of the awe-inspiring discoveries you’ll make inside the T. Boone Pickens Life Then and Now Hall. Get an up-close-and-personal look into dinosaur life and study everything from ancient animal bones and rare fossils to the bodies and behaviors of modern-day animals.
Paleo Lab
Get real-time views of the dynamic dinosaur research being done at the Museum as our paleontologists and preparators process fossils fresh from the field. At this glass-encased permanent exhibit, you may just get to see the unearthing of a new prehistoric species!
Towering atop the Paleo Lab is the only full-body reconstruction of Nanuqsaurus hoglundi in the world. This species was discovered by Dr. Anthony Fiorillo, the Museum’s former chief curator, and unearthed in our very own lab.
The T. rex and Alamosaurus Fossil Skeletons
These gargantuan prehistoric beasts will be the first thing you greet when you walk into the hall. Learn all about their amazing journeys and the remarkable mysteries they’ve revealed.
The Perot dinosaur
A new species of dinosaur – Pachyrhinosaurus perotorum – was discovered by Perot Museum paleontologists in Alaska. Getting to the remains involved a 300-foot climb up a riverbank through rain and snow, but you can skip the dangerous terrain as you gaze upon this incredible discovery.
Dinosaur Footsteps
At Alaska’s Denali National Park, dubbed a “dinosaur dance floor,” Museum paleontologists discovered a treasure trove of fossilized footprints of duck-billed dinosaurs called hardrosaurs. Get up close and see what’s been left behind on these stomping grounds.
Ocean life in Dallas
If you could go back 100-66 million years ago, you’d be standing in water. Check out the stunning Tylosaurus skeleton that once ruled the tropical seas that existed right here in Dallas.
Connecting Continents
The Beringian land bridge connected Asia and North America during the Cretaceous Period, 100 million years ago. Take a look at the evolution over time as animals and vegetation moved back and forth between the continents and mixed together.
Life Then and Now Hall Scavenger Hunt
- Find the first mounted dinosaur skeleton in the state of Texas (hint, it’s called a Tenontosaurus).
- Find the Tylosaurus, originally found by a kid on the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard.
- See if you can find the replica Frenelopsis tree. During the construction and installation of dinosaurs in the hall, real live birds flew in the building and actually landed on it!
What to Do Next
Let your imagination take flight in the Rose Hall of Birds. Explore fossils specimens, compare footprints and discover the astonishing links between prehistoric dinosaurs and modern-day birds.
