The Museum of Natural History can be found in New York, to the west of central park. It is a huge place, much like the Met. Some might remember it from the film, Night at the Museum. There are many different collections, most notably, The Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, Fossil Halls, and Extreme Mammals which was a temporary display. The latter contained the more obcure mammals, including a cast of the famous Darwinius Masillae, or Ida. This fossil is around 47 million years old, from Germany, and is one of the most complete primate fossils found. Even its stomach contents have been fossilised.
The ocean hall was impressive, with a 94 foot long blue whale hanging from the ceiling. It contains lots of dioramas, filled to the brim with life-like underwater species, and explains each one in great detail. The hall was restored in 2003, and even this year, six years on, it looked like it had only just be finished. The sound of the ocean plays through the speakers, and there is a huge screen playing films of the ocean. A definite must see out of all the collections.
The fossil halls, and in particular the dinosaur halls, are also a must see. Nearly 85% of the fossils on display are real. The Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs holds the Tyrannosaurus rex (pictured above), and the huge Brontosaurus.
The museum will take a whole day to look around, maybe more, and is well worth a visit. There is something for everyone, and so many different exhibits to choose from that you can't get bored.
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