Exhibitions
Fossil Mysteries

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Current Exhibitions

Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age

Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age

Journey back in time, thousands to millions of years ago, when mammoths and mastodons roamed the Earth. In Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age, get to know Lyuba, the once frozen 42,000-year-old baby woolly—the most complete mammoth ever discovered. Joust with mammoth tusks. Touch colossal mastodon teeth. Feel real mammoth fur. And see what it would be like to live among these larger-than-life creatures in one of the most captivating, interactive, exhibitions since the Ice Age—as only you can experience at theNAT!

Dino Jaws

Dino Jaws

From the infamous flesh-eating T. rex to the plant-munching Iguanodon, what do YOU know about dinosaurs and their food? Sometimes gruesome, even gory, Dino Jaws will combine fun hands-on (with no danger of being bitten!) exhibits with scientific insights. See lifelike spectacular animatronics and learn what paleontologists know about what that dino had for dinner! Become a dino detective as you solve clues like a real paleontologist.

BOLD

BOLD

Joseph Rossano’s interactive BOLD sculpture series is inspired in cooperation with leading biodiversity scientists, including Dr. Daniel H. Janzen of the University of Pennsylvania. BOLD shares the acronym of Barcode of Life Datasystems, the Canadian repository for the International Barcode of Life project.

The Log from the Sea of Cortez: Marine Life Images by Raúl Gonzalez

The Log from the Sea of Cortez: Marine Life Images by Raúl Gonzalez

Sixty plates illustrate the magnificent marine life that John Steinbeck and naturalist Edward Ricketts chronicled during their historic journey there in 1940. Steinbeck’s book of the excursion, The Log from the Sea of Cortez, remains a tribute to Baja California and an important scientific study of marine biodiversity that is used by travelers and biologists alike. 

Camp-O-Saurus

Camp-O-Saurus

Nestle into a dinosaur nest. Tell a T. rex tale by the campfire. Hide out in a tent with a book or a puzzle. Have a dino campout!

SKULLS

SKULLS

SKULLS contains close to 200 skulls from theNAT’s research collections of animals from all over the world, from the tiny to the spectacular. Mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians are all on display, showcasing an eye-popping array of horns, beaks, bills, teeth, and more.

Water: A California Story

Water: A California Story

Through photos, maps, video, and hands-on activities, learn about current, local issues on land and in the ocean. Examine the infrastructure of the regional water system, and discover how we import the majority of our water and the costs associated with this practice. Water: A California Story also looks at effects of a changing climate on our region’s water supply and reveals how southern Californians can help protect water for future generations. Natural history specimens and live animals will serve as reminders that the natural environment and its inhabitants are also legitimate users of water resources.

Fossil Mysteries

Fossil Mysteries

From dinosaurs to mastodons, discover the rich fossil history of our region. In this major exhibition, created by the Museum, ponder a mystery, examine the strong fossil evidence from the Museum's collection, and use scientific tools to discover answers. Traveling through a 75-million-year timeline, from the age of dinosaurs to the Ice Ages, experience an unfolding of the prehistory of southern California and Baja California, Mexico.