Established in 1992, Badlands Dinosaur Museum features an evolving exhibit of fossils and minerals, a public preparation lab, and a vibrant research and fieldwork program.
Formerly operating as Dakota Dinosaur Museum (1992-2015), the newly renamed Badlands Dinosaur Museum is undergoing a total overhaul of exhibits and facilities.
We are busy designing and installing new exhibits, featuring new fossils discovered by our field crew and prepared in our public-viewing laboratory. Our research and collections areas are expanding too. Please stop by and see what we are up to! There is always something new!
The most dinosaur fossils on display in North Dakota, and a world class mineral exhibit.
Preview our current exhibitsOur fieldwork program is one of the largest in the region. Click for more information on what we find and how you can be involved.
Learn about our fieldworkIn the museum preparation laboratory, we remove rocky matrix from around our latest fossil finds.
Explore our lab & collectionsOur paleontology work relies on a dedicated core of volunteers, including researchers, laboratory preparators, and our field crew.
Meet the paleo teamOur research focuses on dinosaur behavior and evolution, including description of new discoveries.
Find out about our researchSupport the paleontology program by volunteering, donating, or becoming a member of the museum
Support paleontologyBadlands Dinosaur Museum news
- 24 Jan
JOB: SEASONAL PALEONTOLOGY ASSISTANT
Read moreSEASONAL POSITION – MUSEUM PALEONTOLOGY ASSISTANT As part of its summer programming, Dickinson Museum Center is seeking a seasonal paleontology assistant for the 2023 summer
- 13 Dec
Job Ad: Museum Visitor Services Coordinator
Read moreWe’re hiring!VISITOR SERVICES / GIFT SHOP – DICKINSON MUSEUM CENTER, NORTH DAKOTA This position is running the museum gift shop and booking tours etc.
- 25 Nov
New species of tyrannosaur dinosaur discovered by Badlands Dinosaur Museum
Read more[Nov-25-2022] Researchers from Badlands Dinosaur Museum today published a research paper which describes a new species of tyrannosaurid dinosaur. Elias Warshaw and Denver Fowler
- 04 Oct
Job Ad: Museum hiring 500hr contract preparator
Read moreTERM-LIMITED (500HRS) FOSSIL PREPARATOR Dickinson ND. We are seeking a Fossil Preparator for a 500-hour contract position to work on assigned projects in the public
- 14 Jan
JOB: SEASONAL PALEONTOLOGY ASSISTANT
Read moreSEASONAL POSITION – MUSEUM PALEONTOLOGY ASSISTANT As part of its summer programming, Dickinson Museum Center is seeking a seasonal paleontology assistant for the 2022 summer
- 09 Sep
2 JOBS: MUSEUM EDUCATOR & FOSSIL PREPARATOR
Read more2 FULL TIME POSITIONS – MUSEUM EDUCATOR & FOSSIL PREPARATOR Badlands Dinosaur Museum at Dickinson Museum Center (City of Dickinson, North Dakota, USA) is proud
- 18 Feb
JOB: SEASONAL PALEONTOLOGY ASSISTANT
Read moreSEASONAL POSITION – MUSEUM PALEONTOLOGY ASSISTANT As part of its summer programming, Dickinson Museum Center is seeking a seasonal paleontology assistant for the 2021 summer
- 23 Dec
Raptor braincase discovered by Dickinson scientists
Read moreDecember 23rd, 2020: New research from Badlands Dinosaur Museum describes part of a braincase from the dromaeosaurid “raptor” dinosaur Saurornitholestes. Read more on our Press
- 05 Nov
FREE EVENT: Annual Field Report (Nov 19th)
Read moreANNUAL DINOSAUR FIELD REPORT (Nov 19th 6pm): Dr. Denver Fowler and Dr. Liz Freedman Fowler present the latest discoveries from our summer fieldwork digging dinosaurs,
- 19 Aug
DINO DAYS in the Field
Read moreWatch how the paleontology field crew from Badlands Dinosaur Museum finds and digs up dinosaur bones in the beautiful badlands of Montana! This summer, the
- 10 Jul
“Captain Hook”: new species of bizarre dinosaur named by Dickinson scientists
Read moreNew research from Badlands Dinosaur Museum describes a new species of the bizarre alvarezsaurid dinosaurs, called “Trierarchuncus prairiensis” meaning “Captain Hook of the prairie”. Read
- 11 Jun
Dickinson Press: New species provide missing links in evolutionary history of horned dinosaurs
Read more[Jun-11-2020] Badlands Dinosaur Museum’s Denver Fowler, Ph.D., and Dickinson State University’s Elizabeth Freedman Fowler, Ph.D., recently completed research that describes two new transitional species of
- 11 Jun
Museum co-founder Larry League passes away
Read moreWe are sorry to report that co-founder of the dinosaur museum, Larry League, has passed away at his home in Estes Park, Colorado. Further details
- 05 Jun
Two new species of horned dinosaur named by Dickinson scientists
Read moreNew research from Badlands Dinosaur Museum describes two new transitional species of horned dinosaur that fill gaps in a fossil lineage stretching across an entire
- 23 Jan
JOB: SEASONAL PALEONTOLOGY ASSISTANT
Read moreSEASONAL POSITION – MUSEUM PALEONTOLOGY ASSISTANT As part of its summer programming, Dickinson Museum Center is seeking a seasonal paleontology assistant for the 2020 summer
- 10 Jan
Who Stamped on Larry the Triceratops’ Tail?
Read moreWho stamped on Larry the Triceratops‘ tail? A new study, published January 7th, from Badlands Dinosaur Museum in Dickinson, ND, describes a Triceratops that suffered
- 14 Oct
Dickinson tourism sees big increase in visitor numbers
Read moreDICKINSON, N.D. – The Dickinson Conventions and Visitors Bureau says they’ve seen a dramatic improvement in tourism numbers from 2018 to 2019. The Badlands Museum
- 02 Oct
FREE EVENT: Annual Field Report (Nov 4th)
Read moreANNUAL DINOSAUR FIELD REPORT (Nov 4th 5.30-8pm): Dr. Denver Fowler and Dr. Liz Freedman Fowler present the latest discoveries from our summer fieldwork digging dinosaurs,
- 11 Sep
FREE EVENT: Dino Chat
Read moreAs part of our forthcoming symposium, “Cretaceous and Beyond” there will be a free public event. Meet with our panel of paleontology experts, learn a
- 13 Jun
Dinosaur Art Week, June 17-21
Read moreTo celebrate National Art Day (17th June) we’re running dinosaur art activities every afternoon at Badlands Dinosaur Museum. We will have a range of activities
- 06 Feb
Interview with I Know Dino podcast
Read moreBefore Christmas, Badlands Dinosaur Museum curator Denver Fowler and DSU prof. Liz Freedman Fowler were interviewed by the dinosaur podcast “I Know Dino”. The interview
- 17 Jan
Museum to host national conference
Read more“Dickinson Dinosaur Museum will serve as host to a national paleontology conference this September “ Read the full story at The Dickinson Press
- 08 Jan
Job Ad: Museum hiring FT preparator
Read moreBadlands Dinosaur Museum (Dickinson ND) is seeking to employ a fossil preparator (full-time) to add to its permanent paleontology staff. It is expected that the
- 25 Oct
Museum exhibit wins international award
Read more“Museum exhibit wins international award” Read the full story at The Dickinson Press
- 23 Oct
Dickinson Museum Researchers reveal incredible fossil owl
Read more“48-Million-Year-Old Fossil Owl Is Almost Perfectly Preserved” Read the full story on LiveScience
- 28 Sep
Badlands Dinosaur Museum included in Reader’s Digest’s best dinosaur museums
Read more“Badlands Dinosaur Museum included in Reader’s Digest’s best dinosaur museums” Read the full story at Reader’s Digest
- 26 Sep
Dickinson Museum Researchers scan Triceratops brain
Read moreTRICERATOPS BRAIN SCAN: This weekend we visited St. Louis, MO where a fossil Triceratops braincase from the Dickinson collection was CT scanned at the radiology
- 07 Sep
Armored dinosaur teeth in the lab
Read moreARMORED DINOSAUR TEETH: Since we returned from the field about a week ago, seasonal preparator (and fieldwork crewmember) Jack has been busy cleaning mud from
- 31 Aug
Newly donated rhino skull
Read moreDICKINSON’S RHINOCEROS: For today’s #FossilFriday we have this newly-donated specimen of a young fossil rhinoceros, probably a Subhyracodon from Eocene rocks (~35million years old) that
- 10 Aug
Fowler and team uncover complete tyrannosaur in Montana
Read more“Fowler and team uncover complete tyrannosaur in Montana” Read the full story at The Dickinson Press
- 06 Apr
Fieldwork 2018 plans in the news
Read more“Fowler set to uncover new species of ankylosaur” Read the full story at The Dickinson Press
- 23 Mar
Molding and casting a dinosaur
Read moreDr. Liz Freedman Fowler is busy molding this fossil slab in the lab – but what is it? All will be revealed later this year,
- 16 Mar
Opening a new ankylosaur jacket
Read moreThis past week we have added a display case next to the laboratory window which showcases some of the recently prepared bones from the new
- 13 Feb
Augmented Reality Sandbox fully operational!
Read moreOur Augmented Reality Sandbox is now fully up and running. We have just installed some new features for you to try, including a “Primordial Earth”