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Rare Pachycephalosaurus Skull to Debut at Smithsonian

12/12/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History will display a Pachycephalosaurus skull unearthed in 2024 from South Dakota's Hell Creek Formation.
The skull has 32 cranial bones and growing teeth, making it the museum's most spectacular pachycephalosaur specimen.
Philanthropists Wendy Schmidt and Eric Schmidt purchased the fossil at auction and donated it to the museum.
The skull will be on temporary display December 22–28, 2025.

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Story summary

The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History will display a Pachycephalosaurus skull unearthed in 2024 from South Dakota's Hell Creek Formation.
The skull has 32 cranial bones and growing teeth, making it the museum's most spectacular pachycephalosaur specimen.
Philanthropists Wendy Schmidt and Eric Schmidt purchased the fossil at auction and donated it to the museum.
The skull will be on temporary display December 22–28, 2025.