dinosaurs in their time

Discover life on Earth in Age of Mammals: The Cenozoic Era. See fossils from a Columbian mammoth that lived in the Ice Age, or wonder at the size of an Irish Elk’s enormous antlers. Discover the diverse and fascinating creatures that lived in the 66 million years after the extinction of the dinosaurs and learn how they related to today’s mammals!

Age of Mammals: The Cenozoic Era features specimens discovered all over the world, including a large number of Ice Age fossils. Learn about the 55 million-year evolutionary history of the horse or the hunting practices of saber-toothed cats. Exhibits include a dire wolf, giant ground sloth, and specimen groupings that illustrate anatomical changes through time.

Step inside a savanna or view a lowland gorilla emerging from lush tropical foliage in the Hall of African Wildlife. Our detailed and realistic dioramas transport you to a water hole where a giraffe, two species of zebra, African buffalo, wildebeest, and warthog have gathered. In the shadow of a Baobab tree, gerenuks stand on their hind legs nibbling leaves while termites build their impressive mounds.

The hall’s 12 dioramas invite visitors to enter Africa’s wild biomes and see exotic animals, from carnivorous mammals to fascinating insects, up close. Scenes like a lowland gorilla emerging from lush tropical foliage and a pair of zebra duikers foraging in the undergrowth capture visitors’ imaginations.

Our dioramas represent the African continent’s four major life zones—savanna, rainforest, mountain, and desert—and the unique animals that call this amazing continent home.

Witness the drama of nature in the Hall of North American Wildlife. Our 23 dioramas depict a wide variety of animals and habitats in North America. Stand right next to a jaguar feeding her young or observe two elk frozen in battle in the Hayden Valley of Yellowstone National Park. The major ecosystems of North America—tundra, coniferous forest, deciduous forest, grassland, and desert—are represented along with their diverse inhabitants with special attention given to the animals who live in Western Pennsylvania.

Broad in scope and rich in detail, the Hall of North American Wildlife presents unforgettable images of the continent and offers visitors a unique perspective on its wildlife.

Aspiring naturalists of all ages can learn all about field research and even try their hand at the type of work scientists do everyday with the “In the Field” exhibit. Grab a clipboard to make observations, check out the tools of the trade, and learn about Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum’s field research station in Rector, Pa.