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 webcasts. Plus discover the secrets of other extinct species, such as the dodo and the giant sloth.

Dino Directory

Which dinosaurs lived in Britain and the rest of the world? Check out our guide to over 260 dinosaurs and organise by body shape, country, time or using the A-Z.
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.
Dino-birds

Are today’s birds descendants of the dinosaurs? Explore the evidence that proved exactly that.
Earth Lab Datasite - fossils

Find out about fossils, minerals and rocks discovered in your local area with the Earth Lab database.
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.
Virtual specimens

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

Mosts therapods were meat-eaters but ostrich dinosaurs may have been different. Museum palaeontologist Paul Barrett discusses the evidence.
BBC Walking with Monsters: Life Before Dinosaurs (video)

The creators of BBC One's Walking with Monsters tell us the story of the beasts who ruled our planet long before the dinosaurs.
Plant-eating dinosaurs (video)

Meet the plant-eating dinosaurs. Investigate their social lives and how they defended themselves against those fearsome predators.
Dino-birds (video)

Dr Angela Milner of the Museum’s Department of Palaeontology discusses the dinosaur ancestry of birds.
The Dodo - The merging of myth and reality (video)

Were there other species of dodo? Julian Pender Hume explores the myths and mysteries surrounding this intriguing bird.
Are islands a gateway to extinction? (video)

Join Nick Arnold to discover why island species are often highly vulnerable to extinction.
T. rex: The killer question (video)

Was T. rex a scavenger, and not a predator after all? Examine the evidence and decide for yourself.
T. rex (video)

Angela Milner journeys back to the Cretaceous period to explore fossil records for an insight into this amazing creature.
Moa: A short history of the world's tallest birds (video)

Join Museum bird curator Jo Cooper to explore how palaeontologists have come to understand these unique creatures.
Chinese dinosaurs (video)

Dinosaur fossil finds in China are some of the most important in the world. Join us as we take a closer look at what has been found and what it can tell us about dinosaurs in general.
Richard Owen's 'terrible lizards' (video)

Explore Owen's impact on our knowledge of dinosaurs, with examples drawn from Museum specimens on which Owen himself actually worked.
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.
Uncovering baryonyx video (video)

Find out how the tools and techniques have changed in 23 years as a team from the Museum excavate a Baryonyx dinosaur.