How did T. rex evolve to become the most fearsome carnivore of the Mesozoic?

T. rex: The Ultimate Predator will introduce you to the entire tyrannosaur superfamily and reveal the amazing story of the most iconic dinosaur in the world through stunning life-sized models, fossils and casts, and a shadow theater re-creating an epic battle.

Warning: you may never think of T. rex the same way again.

What You'll See in T. rex: The Ultimate Predator

Becoming T. rex

How did a fluffy little critter turn into a massive killing machine? Every terrifying T. rex was once a helpless hatchling. And all tyrannosaurs evolved from smaller ancestors—some little bigger than this one as adults. The full tyrannosaur story spans 100 million years of evolution and includes dozens of species discovered around the world—including T. rex, uncovered in Montana in 1905 by American Museum of Natural History fossil hunter Barnum Brown.

Meet the Family

Tyrannosaurus rex may be the most famous tyrannosaur—but it’s not the most typical. Most tyrannosaurs were not giants like T. rex. Early species were small and fast. Discover what scientists know about the tyrannosaur family—including Dilong paradoxus, which was the first tyrannosaur found with fossilized feathers.

Getting Big

How did T. rex get so big when its ancestors were so small? Find out how paleontologists learn about how fast an extinct animal grew and why scientists disagree about whether some tyrannosaur specimens are small adults from a different branch of the family tree or young T. rex.

Getting Bad

All tyrannosaurs were built to kill, but the biggest and baddest of them all was Tyrannosaurus rex. With its huge size, sharp claws and teeth that could bite through bone, it dominated the competition. Discover how paleontologists read fossils for hidden clues about how this mega-predator lived, how several tyrannosaurs shared an ecosystem, and why scientists think that T. rex ate members of its own species.

Sensitive Side

New research on this powerful hunter’s senses show that its keen vision, smell, and hearing made it very hard for prey to avoid detection. Explore how scientists use brain casts and observed behaviors of living T. rex relatives—birds and alligators—to learn more about how T. rex navigated its environment. 

Please note, some interactive and touchable exhibits are temporarily unavailable to maintain health and safety.

Exhibition Date: Through spring 2021.

Location: Gallery 3, Third Floor 

Free for Members. Timed entry only. 

Please make a reservation for timed-entry admission.

General Admission - Adult $23 / Child (3-12) $13 / Senior & Student $18

Includes admission to permanent Museum halls but does not include special exhibitions.

For NY, NJ, and CT residents (with ID)*: The amount you pay for General Admission is up to you.

General Admission + One - Adult $28 / Child (3-12) $16.50 / Senior & Student $22.50

Includes General Admission plus one special exhibition.

General Admission + All - Adult $33 / Child (3-12) $20 / Senior & Student $27

Includes General Admission plus all special exhibitions. 

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