Ongoing Programs

Prehistoric Texas Hall
This hall contains many spectacular local fossils including the Heath Mosasaur, Protostega and the Trinity River Mammoth. The Heath Mosasaur is a 32' long reptile that swam near Dallas 75 million years ago, when this area was covered by an ocean. The Protostega is a giant sea turtle that lived during the latest part of the upper Cretaceous, approximately 65-98 million years ago. This Protostega was discovered in Rockwall County. Our Trinity River Mammoth lived 20,000 years ago and once grazed along the banks of the Trinity River where Dallas stands today. The Museum excavated the fossil bones of this mammoth on the east sandy terrace of the Trinity River just south of Loop 12. Also on display in this hall is a life-size robotic Glytodont. The Glytodont, which became extinct 10,000 years ago, is a close relative of the modern armadillo.

Malawisaurus
The Malawisaurus (Malawi Lizard) belongs to an important group of sauropod dinosaurs known as titanosaurs, the most common and globally widespread Cretaceous sauropod. The Malawisaurus is an early member of the same group of sauropods that includes the Alamosaurus.

Fossil Lab
Fossil collected in the field are brought to the fossil preparation laboratory at the Museum of Nature & Science where visitors can see actual specimens being carefully removed from the surrounding rock. Many of our lab workers are museum volunteers with an interest in paleontology.

Mineral Collections
The Museum has several important mineral collections, including our most recent addition, which was donated to the museum by longtime volunteer Jim Merrett. Merrett collected his minerals over a ten-year period. It is significant because all of the specimens came from the Tsumeb mine in Nambia, which is now closed and flooded.