Native Alabama Dinosaur Appalachiosaurus

Natural History Galleries

Sea Monsters, Alabama Dinos, Alabama Ice Age, and Naturescope showcase one of the Southeast’s most complete natural history collections. Interactive exhibits and dynamic displays introduce visitors to the region’s ancient past and natural wonders, inviting hands-on discovery and exploration.

  • Protostega- 12 foot Cretaceous sea turtle

    Protostega, a 12-foot Cretaceous sea turtle, once glided through ancient oceans alongside dinosaurs. This impressive fossil offers a rare glimpse into the underwater world of the past and the remarkable creatures that inhabited it.

  • NatureScope Gallery

    Naturescope features interactive exhibits and specimens from McWane Science Center’s vast collection, highlighting the diversity and wonder of Alabama’s natural world.

  • Sea Monsters display

    Sea Monsters showcases fossilized specimens and touchable fossils of ancient fish as impressive as any modern shark, offering a hands-on encounter with creatures from prehistoric seas.

  • The Dig Pit invites visitors to try their hand at being a paleontologist, uncovering Alabama’s ancient past through hands-on fossil excavation.

  • The impressive saber-tooth cat is featured in the Alabama Ice Age exhibit alongside a 14-foot ground sloth, dire wolf, and massive 30-pound woolly mammoth teeth—bringing the state’s prehistoric giants to life.

  • The team carefully positions and secures a new dinosaur for display. Successful exhibits come to life through the collaboration of educators, designers, fabricators, and in this case, paleontologists!