Want to be blown away by the beauty and wonder of the natural world? Just explore some of our more than 10,000 unique specimens. These jaw-dropping specimens are sure to spark your curiosity and wonder. Our diverse collection spans a variety of sciences including zoology, botany, geology, and paleontology. There’s so much to see!
- Dracorex hogwartsia—This new dinosaur discovery was dubbed the “dragon king of Hogwarts” as a tribute to the literary accomplishments of author J.K. Rowling. It is the first dinosaur species to be named by a children’s museum.
- Bucky the teenage T. rex—This colossal T. rex was discovered among the badlands of South Dakota by cowboy Bucky Derflinger.
- Christensen Mastodon—The bones of this Ice Age animal were excavated in 1976 from a bog on the Christensen farm near Greenfield, Indiana.
- Geisler Geology Collection—A substantial donation of rocks, minerals, and fossils from Florence Geisler, a well-known supporter of science education and one of Indiana’s most prolific collectors.
- Acasta Gneiss—This geologic specimen is the oldest item in the museum’s collection. Collected in northern Canada it was recovered from what geologists identify as the oldest intact crustal formation on earth. This specimen is believed to be between 3.5 and 4 billion years old.
- Martimus— This towering polar bear has greeted generations of visitors at the museum since 1965.
- Margaret Wilson Shell Collection—An extensive worldwide collection of shells hand-collected by the donor.