Public exhibits at UCMP

The UCMP is primarily a research museum and thus our collections are only open to the public during our annual open house on Cal Day.

However, we do have a limited number of fossil exhibits on display outside of the collection. These can be viewed, free of charge, any time the Valley Life Sciences Building is open (see building hours and directions).

Exhibits on the first floor of the Valley Life Sciences Building:

		A freestanding mount of Tyrannosaurus rex is at the centerpiece of the atrium.				A cast of Pachydiscus seppenradensis, a Cretaceous ammonite almost eight feet across is located south of the T. rex.

		A skull of Edmontosaurus annectans is just outside the Museum's front door.				A skull of another T. rex sits at the foot of the main staircase.

		Six small display cases exhibit fossils and dinosaur material from the Cretaceous of California.				Living relatives of Cretaceous plants are in the planters on either side of the entrance to the University and Jepson Herbaria.

Exhibits on the second floor of the Valley Life Sciences Building:

		A freestanding mount of Tyrannosaurus rex is at the centerpiece of the atrium.				A cast of Pachydiscus seppenradensis, a Cretaceous ammonite almost eight feet across is located south of the T. rex.

		A skull of Edmontosaurus annectans is just outside the Museum's front door.				A skull of another T. rex sits at the foot of the main staircase.

		Six small display cases exhibit fossils and dinosaur material from the Cretaceous of California.				Living relatives of Cretaceous plants are in the planters on either side of the entrance to the University and Jepson Herbaria.

So, where is the real museum?
We often hear this question. By this, people usually mean, "Where are the physical exhibits displayed?" By definition, museums are devoted to the collection and preservation of objects which might otherwise be lost to future generations.

Public exhibits are very important for most museums, but are rarely the primary purpose. As the state repository for California fossils, UCMP's research collection is extensive and is of tremendous importance for researchers.

Docent-led tours
Guided tours, accompanied by a graduate student docent, are available for school and youth groups during the school year. The tours are scheduled upon availability of a docent. Find out more about these tours.