New York, NY – American Museum Of Natural History

 This specimen will always be my favorite because of the history I have with it. This was the Stegosaurus that started it all for me. I used to go see it all the time as a kid. It was first put on display in the 1930s, and like most of the presentations of that time it is actually a composite of the bones of several different animals. What a beautiful sight though!

This museum is one of the world’s most popular and has a lot of foot traffic running through it at all times.  My friend and I waited outside before the museum opened one morning and then ran upstairs immediately to take a picture before anyone else arrived. It was like trying to get great seats at a general admission concert, but way more nerdy!

The pose this Stegosaurus is in is outdated in the sense that it drags its tail behind it. New research has shown that their tails were actually straighter and raised off the ground. This inaccuracy means this specimen will likely be remounted in an updated pose at some point…I have to admit that even though it’s not scientifically correct, I will miss this look. The arc of the plates and body is just beautiful to me, and a big reason why this specimen is so famous. Some of the other Stegosaurus mounts that you will see on this website are actually replicas of this one. A true classic!