COVID19 update: We have reopened as of Monday May 11th 2020
After temporarily closing due to statewide COVID19 restrictions, we have now reopened, although hands-on exhibits and activities are still unavailable.
Please we ask you to:
- Practice social distancing, and restrict groups to no more than 10 people
- Although not required, we remind you that wearing a face covering helps prevent transmission from people who may otherwise show no symptoms. We strongly encourage you to show concern for others' well being and wear a mask.
- Please stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID19
We will continue to post content on our Facebook page, and will be considering ways to provide museum programming during this challenging time. Please stay safe and follow advice from local authorities.
Explore the past at Dickinson Museum Center!
Our 12-acre campus features Badlands Dinosaur Museum, Joachim Regional History Museum, the Pioneer Machinery Hall, and Prairie Outpost Park.

Badlands Dinosaur Museum combines vibrant exhibits and children's hands-on interactives, with active scientific research, collections, and fieldwork.
Badlands Dinosaur Museum
Explore the recent past at three history museums housed on our 12 acre campus: Joachim Regional Museum, the Pioneer Machinery Hall, and Prairie Outpost Park.
Explore Dickinson regional historyWhat our visitors are saying:
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AMAZING. The two beautiful feathered dinosaurs are worth the price of admission alone, but there’s a lot of great stuff here. Great for families and paleontologists alike!
Crater Lake (username) -
Charming Museum. This museum is one that is designed for people to walk around and look and touch and enjoy! The staff was friendly and willing to answer questions. The fossils were from all over the world and arranged in a logical fashion. Children would love the dinosaur exhibits and we older adults enjoyed playing in the sand!
Gayle F -
My kids really enjoyed the models in the center of the museum and the sand topography interactive display at the back where you can also view the preparation of fossils. They enjoyed the outdoor walking tour of the historic buildings as well.
Amanda T -
I loved touching. It was more fun for me because I got to touch actual dinosaur bones. Lots of minerals too and I love rocks.
Rose -
My 3 y.o. most enjoyed the augmented reality sandbox. It was very cool. They had a few other children’s activities, and I bought her a reasonably priced stuffed dinosaur on our way out.
Renee H -
Wonderful place with lots of learning and fun for kids and families alike. My boys are obsessed with dinosaurs and love it here.
Teressa Wickham -
For the size of it (not too big) there are a lot of artifacts. A very nice display. Employees were very nice and knowledgeable. Will definitely be going again!
Erin Leanne S -
Great museum to take the Kids! Fun and informational. They loved the dark room with the rocks and the black lights
Harper Thompson
Museum news
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05 Nov
FREE EVENT: Annual Field Report (Nov 19th)
Read moreANNUAL DINOSAUR FIELD REPORT (Nov 19th 6pm): Dr. Denver Fowler and Dr. Liz Freedman Fowler present the latest discoveries from our summer fieldwork digging dinosaurs,
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19 Aug
DINO DAYS in the Field
Read moreWatch how the paleontology field crew from Badlands Dinosaur Museum finds and digs up dinosaur bones in the beautiful badlands of Montana! This summer, the
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10 Jul
“Captain Hook”: new species of bizarre dinosaur named by Dickinson scientists
Read moreNew research from Badlands Dinosaur Museum describes a new species of the bizarre alvarezsaurid dinosaurs, called “Trierarchuncus prairiensis” meaning “Captain Hook of the prairie”. Read
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11 Jun
Dickinson Press: New species provide missing links in evolutionary history of horned dinosaurs
Read more[Jun-11-2020] Badlands Dinosaur Museum’s Denver Fowler, Ph.D., and Dickinson State University’s Elizabeth Freedman Fowler, Ph.D., recently completed research that describes two new transitional species of
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11 Jun
Museum co-founder Larry League passes away
Read moreWe are sorry to report that co-founder of the dinosaur museum, Larry League, has passed away at his home in Estes Park, Colorado. Further details
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05 Jun
Two new species of horned dinosaur named by Dickinson scientists
Read moreNew research from Badlands Dinosaur Museum describes two new transitional species of horned dinosaur that fill gaps in a fossil lineage stretching across an entire
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22 May
The first draft of history’: how in-depth Press coverage informed a true-crime podcast
Read more‘The first draft of history’: how in-depth Press coverage informed a true-crime podcast In the late 1800s and early 1900s, three linked fatalities occurred on
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15 Apr
True Crime Dickinson podcast: now streamable
Read moreHistorical crimes from our corner of North Dakota! In this new series of video podcasts, Museum Director Bob Fuhrman regales us with stories gleaned from
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31 Mar
New Video Podcasts showcase Dickinson’s True Crime history
Read moreTrue Crime Dickinson: Cowboy shootout at McGillivray corner Local podcast sheds light on Dickinson’s wild west past Read the rest of the story at The
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23 Jan
JOB: SEASONAL PALEONTOLOGY ASSISTANT
Read moreSEASONAL POSITION – MUSEUM PALEONTOLOGY ASSISTANT As part of its summer programming, Dickinson Museum Center is seeking a seasonal paleontology assistant for the 2020 summer
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10 Jan
Who Stamped on Larry the Triceratops’ Tail?
Read moreWho stamped on Larry the Triceratops‘ tail? A new study, published January 7th, from Badlands Dinosaur Museum in Dickinson, ND, describes a Triceratops that suffered
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14 Oct
Dickinson tourism sees big increase in visitor numbers
Read moreDICKINSON, N.D. – The Dickinson Conventions and Visitors Bureau says they’ve seen a dramatic improvement in tourism numbers from 2018 to 2019. The Badlands Museum
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02 Oct
FREE EVENT: Annual Field Report (Nov 4th)
Read moreANNUAL DINOSAUR FIELD REPORT (Nov 4th 5.30-8pm): Dr. Denver Fowler and Dr. Liz Freedman Fowler present the latest discoveries from our summer fieldwork digging dinosaurs,
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11 Sep
FREE EVENT: Dino Chat
Read moreAs part of our forthcoming symposium, “Cretaceous and Beyond” there will be a free public event. Meet with our panel of paleontology experts, learn a
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28 Aug
Elmer Thompson: The Inventor To Open at Dickinson Museum Center
Read moreElmer Thompson: The Inventor To Open at Dickinson Museum Center The North Dakota Museum of Art, in collaboration with the Dickinson Museum Center, is pleased
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13 Jun
Dinosaur Art Week, June 17-21
Read moreTo celebrate National Art Day (17th June) we’re running dinosaur art activities every afternoon at Badlands Dinosaur Museum. We will have a range of activities
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01 Mar
ND Traveling Student Art Show On Display Now
Read moreThe North Dakota Juried Student Art Show for 2017-2018 opens March 1st and features a variety of artwork from students in grades K-12. This exhibit
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06 Feb
Interview with I Know Dino podcast
Read moreBefore Christmas, Badlands Dinosaur Museum curator Denver Fowler and DSU prof. Liz Freedman Fowler were interviewed by the dinosaur podcast “I Know Dino”. The interview
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01 Feb
Joachim Hosts Community Art Show for February
Read moreThe Joachim Regional Museum presents the 2019 Community Art Show which features artworks in a variety of mediums by area artists. Open February 1-27, Monday-Saturday 9-5 with
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17 Jan
Museum to host national conference
Read more“Dickinson Dinosaur Museum will serve as host to a national paleontology conference this September “ Read the full story at The Dickinson Press
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08 Jan
Job Ad: Museum hiring FT preparator
Read moreBadlands Dinosaur Museum (Dickinson ND) is seeking to employ a fossil preparator (full-time) to add to its permanent paleontology staff. It is expected that the
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25 Oct
Museum exhibit wins international award
Read more“Museum exhibit wins international award” Read the full story at The Dickinson Press
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23 Oct
Dickinson Museum Researchers reveal incredible fossil owl
Read more“48-Million-Year-Old Fossil Owl Is Almost Perfectly Preserved” Read the full story on LiveScience
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28 Sep
Badlands Dinosaur Museum included in Reader’s Digest’s best dinosaur museums
Read more“Badlands Dinosaur Museum included in Reader’s Digest’s best dinosaur museums” Read the full story at Reader’s Digest
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26 Sep
Dickinson Museum Researchers scan Triceratops brain
Read moreTRICERATOPS BRAIN SCAN: This weekend we visited St. Louis, MO where a fossil Triceratops braincase from the Dickinson collection was CT scanned at the radiology
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07 Sep
Armored dinosaur teeth in the lab
Read moreARMORED DINOSAUR TEETH: Since we returned from the field about a week ago, seasonal preparator (and fieldwork crewmember) Jack has been busy cleaning mud from
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31 Aug
Newly donated rhino skull
Read moreDICKINSON’S RHINOCEROS: For today’s #FossilFriday we have this newly-donated specimen of a young fossil rhinoceros, probably a Subhyracodon from Eocene rocks (~35million years old) that
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10 Aug
Fowler and team uncover complete tyrannosaur in Montana
Read more“Fowler and team uncover complete tyrannosaur in Montana” Read the full story at The Dickinson Press
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06 Apr
Fieldwork 2018 plans in the news
Read more“Fowler set to uncover new species of ankylosaur” Read the full story at The Dickinson Press
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23 Mar
Molding and casting a dinosaur
Read moreDr. Liz Freedman Fowler is busy molding this fossil slab in the lab – but what is it? All will be revealed later this year,
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16 Mar
Opening a new ankylosaur jacket
Read moreThis past week we have added a display case next to the laboratory window which showcases some of the recently prepared bones from the new
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13 Feb
Augmented Reality Sandbox fully operational!
Read moreOur Augmented Reality Sandbox is now fully up and running. We have just installed some new features for you to try, including a “Primordial Earth”
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15 Jan
Feathered dinosaur models in the news
Read more“Museum Center preparing ‘Claws Exhibit’; feathered dinosaurs are the ‘stars'” Read the full story at The Dickinson Press