Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs
One of two halls in the David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing, the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs features fossils from one of the two major groups of dinosaurs. The ornithischians are characterized by a backward-pointing extension of the pubis bone, which is thought to have helped to support the enormous stomachs that these dinosaurs needed to digest the masses of tough vegetation they ate.
Within the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs, exhibits explore two evolutionary branches within this group: the genasaurs, which are defined by the development of inset tooth rows that form cheeks, and the cerapods, identified by an uneven covering of tooth enamel. These traits may have made holding and chewing food easier.
Together, the two halls of the Koch Dinosaur Wing feature about 100 specimens, 85 percent of them fossils, rather than casts. These 100 specimens are just a small fraction of the Museum’s collection of dinosaur fossils, which is among the largest and most scientifically important of such collections in the world.
Corythosaurus is a member of the group of duck-billed dinosaurs called hadrosaurs, which walked and ran on their two hind legs. The species’ strange skull is capped by a crescent-shaped helmet that contains extended tubes, which formed elaborate nasal passages.
The Museum’s dinosaur mummy is a fossilized imprint of the carcass of a duck-billed dinosaur. One of the most complete pieces of Mesozoic dinosaur remains ever found, this fossil represents one of the greatest discoveries in the history of paleontology.
Anatotitan was a duck-billed dinosaur, one of the most widespread dinosaur groups. About 70 million years ago, duck-billed dinosaurs lived in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Their habitats varied from forests in river valleys to swamps in coastal floodplains.
At 4 feet long and 2 feet tall, Psittacosaurus (pronounced sih-TACK-oh-sore-us) lived some 100 million years ago. Despite the fact that it didn't have any horns, Psittacosaurus was a member of the same group as Triceratops.
At one time, some scientists thought Stegosaurus had a second brain because the one in its head seemed so small. Stegosaurus did, however, manage with one small brain.
This 65-million-year-old Triceratops has a large frill on the back of its skull, two large horns over its eyes, and a smaller horn on its nose. On the side of the skull on display is a partially healed injury, perhaps caused by a conflict with another Triceratops.