"All about us stretched the interminable labyrinths of the badlands...a scene of desolation such as no pen can picture."

-Charles H. Sternberg

The Life of a Fossil Hunter

1876

About Us

In 2003, a local group of community members in Malta, Montana formed a nonprofit organization in order to care for the unique dinosaur discoveries of Phillips County. They rented a tire shop in Malta and converted it into the Dinosaur Field Station, a preparatory lab where the dinosaur fossils of the area were cleaned and studied. For five years the facility housed numerous specimens and welcomed scientists and the general public alike.

In 2006, the state of Montana approved funding for the creation of the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and the planning began. The Dinosaur Field Station closed in the spring of 2008 and the specimens were moved to the new museum.

The Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station opened to the public on June 6, 2008.

 The Great Plains Dinosaur Museum's Mission Statement:

To curate and prepare paleontological resources for use in educational programs, scientific research and interpretive displays in support of the advancement of knowledge and the benefit of all people.

A board of directors of local citizens called the Judith River Foundation oversees the operations of the museum. The museum is a science-based facility which adheres to the ethical guidelines set forth by the International Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.