Dinosaurs and other extinct creatures

Dinosaurs were several types of extinct prehistoric reptile that lived 230–65 million years ago. But did they completely die out or do they live among us today in the form of birds? And could scientists recreate a T. rex from fossilised amber? Find out the answers to these and many other questions in our collection of articles, fact files and videos. Plus discover the secrets of the fossil primate known as Ida.

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  Dino Directory

  Which dinosaurs lived in Britain and the rest of the world? Check out our guide to over 300 dinosaurs organised by body shape, country, time or using the A-Z.

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  News about dinosaurs and other extinct creatures

  From what they looked like, to when and how important features evolved. Get the latest news from the Museum about dinosaurs and other extinct creatures.

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  Ida - the clue to primate evolution?

  Ida is the best-preserved fossil primate ever to have been found. Find out about the rainforest world she lived in and what she can tell us about our own ancestry.

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  Archaeopteryx – a snapshot of evolution in action

  Find out about Archaeopteryx, widely considered to be the earliest known bird. Examine one of the rare well-preserved fossils to see for yourself the evidence that birds evolved from dinosaurs.

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  Non-dinosaur reptiles

  Many ancient reptiles are often confused with dinosaurs but they do not have the physical characteristics which define a true dinosaur. Find out more about these animals.

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  Baryonyx - discovery of an unusual dinosaur

  The discovery of Baryonyx began a whole area of research on specialised fish-eating dinosaurs called spinosaurs. Watch the video to find out more about Baryonx and its significance.

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  Story of Scelidosaurus, a British dinosaur discovery

  In this video, Museum dinosaur expert Dr Paul Barrett tells us the story of Scelidosaurus. The discovery of this Jurassic dinosaur revealed important new evidence about how dinosaurs looked and walked.

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  Augmented reality Coelophysis

  Coelophysis lived in the late Triassic Period, 227-223 million years ago, and was one of the earliest dinosaurs ever to walk the Earth. Bring this prehistoric hunter to life in your home in 3D with augmented reality.

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  World's smallest mini mammoth

  Museum scientists have identified a dwarf mammoth in the Mediterranean. Watch the video.

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  Dino-birds

  Are today’s birds descendants of the dinosaurs? Explore the evidence that proved exactly that.

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  Big teeth for a tiny dinosaur

  A tiny dinosaur with big canine teeth shows for the first time how one of the earliest dinosaurs grew into an adult.  Watch the video.

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  T.rex: the killer question quiz

  Take the killer question quiz and decide for yourself whether you think T.rex was a scavenger, predator or even both.

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  Virtual specimens

  Examine our virtual specimens, from fossilised trilobites to the bizarre Anomalocaris that stalked the seas 540 million years ago.

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  Ostrich dinosaurs

  Mosts therapods were meat-eaters but ostrich dinosaurs may have been different. Museum palaeontologist Paul Barrett discusses the evidence.

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  The search for DNA in amber

  Scientists discuss the controversial debate over whether dinosaur DNA really can be extracted from the fossilized resin of ancient trees.