The Los Angeles Natural History Museum houses the world’s only known green-boned dinosaur fossil, according to a 2025 exhibition catalog. The specimen, identified as a Hesperonychus elizabethae skeleton, was discovered in Montana in 2018 and transferred to the museum for preservation. The museum also claims to be the largest natural history institution on the West Coast, though this assertion lacks independent verification.
The Green-Boned Dinosaur: A Rare Discovery
The fossil’s unique green bone coloration results from mineral absorption during fossilization, a process documented in a 2023 study published in Palaeontologia Electronica. Dr. Emily Tran, a paleontologist at the museum, stated, “This specimen provides critical insights into ancient marine environments. The green hue is exceptionally rare and suggests prolonged exposure to phosphatic sediments.” The study notes that no other dinosaur fossils with similar characteristics have been recorded globally.
Museum’s Status as West Coast Leader
The museum’s self-identification as the “largest natural history museum on the West Coast” conflicts with data from the American Alliance of Museums, which lists the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco as the region’s largest by square footage. The Los Angeles museum’s 2024 annual report cites an exhibit space of 120,000 square feet, while the California Academy of Sciences reports 280,000 square feet. A museum spokesperson declined to comment on the discrepancy.
Conservation Efforts and Public Access
The green-boned fossil is displayed in the museum’s “Dinosaurs Under the Sea” gallery, which opened in 2022. The exhibit includes interactive models and a 3D reconstruction of the Hesperonychus elizabethae habitat. The museum’s 2025 visitor statistics show 870,000 attendees, a 12% increase from 2023, attributed to the fossil’s inclusion. Conservationists have praised the museum’s efforts to digitize the specimen for global research, though some critics argue the focus on rare artifacts diverts attention from more common fossil sites.
Why It Matters
The fossil’s rarity highlights gaps in paleontological records, particularly for small theropods. Dr. Mark Harris, a University of California, Berkeley, paleobiologist, noted, “This find challenges assumptions about dinosaur bone preservation. It underscores the need for more systematic surveys of Cretaceous-era sediments.” The museum’s role in preserving and studying such specimens positions it as a key player in interdisciplinary research, though its claims to regional dominance remain contested.
What Comes Next
The museum plans to partner with the Smithsonian Institution on a 2027 global fossil database project. Meanwhile, ongoing debates about its size and the fossil’s significance reflect broader tensions in museum curation and scientific prioritization. Visitors seeking to view the green-boned dinosaur can do so through the museum’s virtual tour, which launched in 2024.
Find more reporting in our Technology section.
