Denver Museum of Nature & Science Finds Nearly 70-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Fossil
DENVER COUNTY, COLORADO, JUL 9 – Researchers uncovered a Late Cretaceous plant-eater vertebra 763 feet underground, offering rare insight into Denver's ancient ecosystem, museum officials said.
- In January 2025, during geothermal drilling nearly 763 feet below the parking area of a natural history museum in Denver’s City Park, researchers uncovered a dinosaur fossil estimated to be around 67.5 million years old.
- The fossil find resulted from a scientific coring initiative driven by the museum's exploration of geothermal energy to replace natural gas heating and cooling systems.
- Museum researchers identified the fossil as a vertebral centrum from a plant-eating dinosaur similar to Thescelosaurus or Edmontosaurus, revealing a rare view of Denver's Late Cretaceous ecosystem.
- Patrick O'Connor described the discovery as unlike any other dinosaur find he has experienced, while Bob Raynolds called the discovery truly extraordinary.
- This discovery, the deepest and oldest such fossil within Denver city limits, offers scientific value and public educational potential while enriching understanding of urban paleontology.
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70 million-year-old dinosaur fossil discovered under Denver Museum of Nature and Science
A new dinosaur fossil at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science was found buried hundreds of feet under the facility's parking lot in January.


'Nothing short of magical': Dinosaur fossil discovered deep below Colorado museum
Denver Museum of Nature and Science researchers are calling it the oldest and deepest dinosaur fossil found in city limits — and it was right below their feet.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science finds nearly 70-million-year-old dinosaur fossil
DENVER (KDVR) -- Yabba Dabba Doo! The Denver Museum of Nature & Science announced on Wednesday that it discovered a nearly 70-million-year-old dinosaur fossil underneath its parking lot in City Park in January. The partial-bone fossil was found 763 feet below the parking lot while the DMNS was conducting a geothermal test drilling project, according to the museum. DMNS unveils plans to renovate, expand Gems & Minerals Hall “This is a scien…
Drilling project in Museum of Nature & Science parking lot leads to 'exceptionally rare' fossil find
DENVER Scientists at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science are celebrating a discovery that they have called "nothing short of magical" just under their parking lot in City Park.In January, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science began a geothermal test drilling project in its parking lot to assess the possibility of using geothermal energy to cool the museum and moving away from natural gas. With a giant, narrow drill going about 1,000 feet deep …
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