Museum Collections

Many objects from the monument's museum collection are on public display, like this Allosaurus skull at the Quarry Exhibit Hall. Researchers can submit a research request or apply for a permit to access other museum collection materials not otherwise open to the public.

NPS / Jake Holgerson

Dinosaur National Monument has over 45,000 objects catalogued in its museum collections, and more are being added all the time. The collections are as varied as the park itself, containing fossils, ancient tools, recent historical relics, photographs, paintings, natural specimens, superintendents' notes, and much more! While some objects must be protected within special containers or cabinets, others are put out for display. Researchers and park employees use the collections to learn more about Dinosaur and the many stories contained within the monument's boundaries. Every park site has a museum collection, making the National Park Service a huge repository of the United States' cultural and natural history. You can explore the NPS Museum Collections virtually.

 

 

Dinosaur National Monument's museum collections contain many objects related to paleontology, such as these fossilized Stegosaurus ribs.

NPS Photo

What's in the Museum Collections?

Fossils and Rocks

The park's museum collections contain objects from around the monument that relate to many different fields of study, most of which fall under natural or cultural resources. Dinosaur's collection is world-renowned for containing many items related to the park's geology and paleontology. It includes 11 fossil holotype specimens. Holotypes are the first official representatives of a scientifically documented species. When new discoveries resembling an existing holotype are found, scientists compare the two to determine if the new specimen is a known species or not. The museum collections include many of the fossils that park paleontologists and researchers excavate, prepare, and study.

Non-Living Plant and Animal Specimens

The collection also contains a comprehensive herbarium, which helps document the many plants and fungi of the monument's diverse ecosystems. It even includes 8 plant holotype specimens. Currently, our herbarium is 100% digitized and available online through the Intermountain Regional Herbarium Network and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Many other biological treasures are cared for in the collections too, including fish, insects, arachnids, and animal skeletons (which are only collected when the animals are found dead). By preserving these specimens, the collections document the past and present wildlife of Dinosaur National Monument.

Cultural Resources

The park's museum collection also contains cultural resources that focus on the human history of the park. It includes archeological finds, historic photographs, and archives. The archives themselves include photos, letters, reports, and other documents related to the exploration, development, settlement, and establishment of Dinosaur National Monument.

 

Dinosaur National Monument often brings on interns to assist park scientists in their respective fields, like paleontology, archeology, ecology, and resource management.

NPS Photo

Why are Collections Important?

Museum collections are an important part of the mission of Dinosaur National Monument and the National Park Service as a whole. They protect the past while increasing knowledge and inspiration among present and future generations through exhibits, research, and interpretive programs. Objects contained within Dinosaur's collection touch upon almost every aspect of the monument: from rocks, to humans, to plants, to things both recent and 250 million years old. Each park's individual mission determines its museum practices, making every park collection unique. The collections also play an important role in learning. Park employees reference them to help better educate themselves and the public about the wonders of the monument. Researchers from around the world can reference the collections too, which contributes to our collective undertanding of science and history. Objects from the collections are displayed in Visitor Centers and the Quarry Exhibit Hall for everyone to enjoy. In these ways, Dinosaur National Monument's artifacts help to inform and inspire people near and far.

 

Who Can Access the Collections?

Whether its the rocks you see at a ranger's Geology Talk, fossils at the Quarry Exhibit Hall, or historic photographs on display at a Visitor Center, objects from the park's museum collections are sure to enrich your visit! Although the Collections Room, Accession Room, and Paleontology Lab aren't open for casual tours, there are many ways to see items from these collections around the park. You can find museum objects on display in exhibits at the Visitor Centers, the Quarry Exhibit Hall, and occasionally at ranger programs. Currently, the only way to see collections areas is if you're conducting research specific to objects within the collections.

Access to more sensitive artifacts in the Collections Room, Accession Room, and Paleontology Lab requires a research permit. Please see the park's Museum Access Policy below if you are interested in obtaining a research permit. If you aren't a researcher but would still like to learn more about Dinosaur National Monument's museum collections, we have good news! The park collections portal is under development and will contain more virtual collections in the future. You can follow @DinosaurNPS on social media to stay up-to-date.

 

Paleontology and Cultural Collections Museum Access Policy

Museum collections and laboratory areas are restricted to individuals that have requested access in advance and have a legitimate curatorial or professional reason to be on the Wall of Bones or in the Collections Room, Accession Room, or Paleontology Lab. Access must be in writing, approved, and scheduled at least 3 weeks in advance by a curatorial staff member of Dinosaur National Monument. This allows for adequate proposal review and time for the curatorial staff to facilitate scheduling. Same-day access requests cannot be granted. Read through the drop-down boxes below for more information about curatorial hours of operation, how to submit a research request, or apply for a research permit.

Curatorial Hours of Operation

Curatorial Hours of Operation

Appointments for research in the museum collection or archives can be arranged for:
Monday — Thursday, between 9 am and 4 pm (Mountain Time).

To complete the Preliminary Application for Museum Collections and Historic Document Form, email the museum curator. To submit a research request, email the Curatorial Team. (Note: You won't be able to attach any documents until a member of the curatorial staff responds to your first message.)
 

Research Requests

Research Requests
Researchers are encouraged to complete their preliminary research at libraries with a broader topical focus before approaching the archives at Dinosaur National Monument. Researchers looking to visit the archives should submit a request to the curatorial staff by email. The request should include a detailed description of the research project. Requests for materials should be submitted at least 3 weeks in advance. This allows enough lead time for evaluation of the request and to schedule curatorial staff to oversee the research.

Please read the following before submitting your research request:

• The park reserves the right to limit access to fragile or restricted collections. Unprocessed or uncatalogued collections cannot be made available to researchers due to security concerns.
• To ensure the conservation and security of the resource, browsing the collections is not permitted.
• Reproductions (photographs, digital copies, etc.) of archival material are available on a limited basis.
• Although curatorial staff can respond to limited off-site requests for information or photographic images contained within the park's collections, more extensive research needs will require on-site research by the requester.

Research Permits

Research Permits

Research that has the potential to distrub resources or visitors within park boundaries — such as fieldwork or specimen collection — must also apply through the National Park Service's Research Permit Reporting System. This includes (but is not limited to) research related to any of the following fields: paleontology, geology, history and culture, living plants and animals, air, water, soundscapes, etc. Upon visiting the page linked above, you will need to create an account and follow the prompts to describe the intention of your research, the institution you represent, and other needed information.