History of the Museum A A

They roamed the Earth for 165 million years, they were larger than life and dominated the landscape, then in a flash they were gone.

Though they became extinct more than 65 million years ago, dinosaurs – their habits, their size and their power continue to fascinate us.
Unfortunately their history is hidden by physical elements and often remains buried, but their story is one that needs to be told and shared.

In 1960, Dr. Neal Naranjo began a lifelong quest to find and preserve dinosaur bones. Each new fossil he collected laid the foundation for the Naranjo Museum of Natural History.

Today the Naranjo collection contains several thousand fossils and is as comprehensive as it is diverse. It includes a 26-foot tall Hadrosaur and a four-inch long Coelacanth; a nurturing Einosaur mother with her child and ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex life-size replica; a fully-grown Woolly Mammoth and multiple unhatched dinosaur eggs.

With a meticulous eye for rare finds, the Naranjo Family has built a collection that rivals most urban museums. Now with ongoing dinosaur digs in two states and access to new fossils, the collection has outgrown its current space.

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Posted March 23, 2015

Also at the museum:

Artifact Identification Weekend

The Naranjo Museum of Natural History here in Lufkin, TX will be hosting an Artifact Identification Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, February 17th & 18th. Saturday will be 10am-5pm and Sunday 1pm-5 ...

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Apollo 14 Learning Resources

Apollo 14 Moon Rock at the Naranjo Museum The Apollo 14 Moon Rock or Lunar Sample here at the Naranjo Museum was collected during the Mission to the Moon. Here are some resources to help children lea ...

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Artifact Identification Weekend

The Naranjo Museum of Natural History here in Lufkin, TX will be hosting an Artifact Identification Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, February 17th & 18th. Saturday will be 10am-5pm and Sunday 1pm-5 ...

More On Blog »

Carboniferious Period

Here you will find in the fossil cases and in the diorama an extensive presentation of the fossils of the Carboniferous period. The Carboniferous period is known for its plant life. Amphibians wal ...

More On Current Exhibits »

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Naranjo Museum of Natural History

Tickets Price
Age 3 & under Free
Age 4 to 18 $5.00
Adults $8.00

Hours of Operation
Mon. - Sat.: 10 AM to 6 PM
Sunday: 1 PM to 6 PM

For more information, call
(936) 639-3466