In addition to the world’s largest collection of dinosaur footprints, the Beneski Museum features skeletons and casts of dinosaurs and primitive animals.
A Dryosaurus altus skeleton watches at the window of the Beneski Museum at Amherst College. It is the most complete and best-preserved of that species in existence today. This small, fast running herbivore lived during the Late Jurassic period, approximately 150 to 145 million years ago. When it arrived at the museum the students joked that there is a new vegan in town.
Watch out for that Triceratops!
A fossil cast of the head and thoracic armor of a Dunkleosteus, a large armored fish. It is around 300 million years ago, and likely grew up to 33 feet in length.
A fossil skeleton of a Smilodon, or saber toothed cat.
The Main Hall at the Museum features three major Ice Age Skeletons: the Columbian Mammoth at the right; the American Mastodon at the left; and the Irish Elk at center.
Mammoth Tusks
The museum’s prehistoric mammal collection wall display features nine different fossil mammal mounts collected during Amherst College expeditions to the American West in the early 20th century.
Incredible! 👏
That is quite a dive into prehistory
I like to think of growing up amid Jurassic finds. I bet you probably are very used to it, being near the Jurassic Coast.
Yes, but smaller
Oh, fascinating! I especially love that slim little skeleton in the first picture. It looks as though it’s getting ready to bolt from the stand and race somewhere.
I imagine that skeleton is thinking about checking out life on the Amherst College campus. 😉
I can imagine it zipping across the campus.
Looks like a great place to visit. I love your photo of the mammoth’s tusks!
Thank you for taking time to visit!