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Dinosaur tracks at Dinosaur Ridge. From Flickr user Matthew Saunders.

There are a few ways to see Morrison, Colorado’s famed “Dinosaur Ridge.” If you just want to have a look at the tracks you can walk or bike up the roadside trail, but if you want a less strenuous guided tour you can hop onto the new electric-powered “Cartosaurus.”

According to Denver’s CBS4 News the popular attraction, known for its many dinosaur tracks, is now offering tours via an electric-powered shuttle. The vehicle runs on 16 6-volt batteries, not fossil fuels, making it much cleaner and efficient than similar gas-powered shuttles. It is not decorated with dinosaurs like its gas-powered predecessor, but that’s a small price to pay for going green.

A Tyrannosaurus at Prehistoric Gardens in Oregon. From Flickr user sillydog.

Earlier this month, reader Stephen Sasser sent us a vintage photo of him and his family at Thunderbeast Park in Oregon. Unfortunately, Thunderbeast Park is now closed, but in the comments of the post featuring the picture another reader named Doug gave us a tip about some other dinosaur sculptures somewhere in Oregon.

With a little digging I found out that the snapshots Doug had taken came from Prehistoric Gardens in Port Orford, Oregon. It seems that it is still open to the public, so if you are driving along the Oregon coast why not stop off and see the dinosaurs?

Do you have your own photos of roadside dinosaurs? Have you seen a dinosaur in an unexpected place? Send the photo with a short description to dinosaursightings@gmail.com and you might just see it here!

A few of the dinosaurs at the National Museum of Natural History.

Earlier this summer I asked readers to decide which city deserved the title of “Dinosaur Capital of the World.” Glen Rose, Texas took an early lead, but Drumheller, in Alberta, Canada, is now sitting comfortably in the top spot. A more contentious question, though, is “What is top museum to visit if you want to see dinosaurs?”

There are a number of institutions that could claim the title. I will list a few here, but please add your own picks in the comments if you think I have missed any!

The American Museum of Natural History

The AMNH will always hold a special place in my heart. It was the first major museum I ever visited, and it was the first place I saw real dinosaur bones. Back then, in the late 1980s, the halls were dim and the dinosaurs were still dragging their tails, but seeing those skeletons made me want to be a paleontologist. Most of the mounts have since been updated, though, and the museum has long been home to a vibrant community of dinosaur paleontologists. It is definitely a required stop for any dinosaur fan in New York City.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

I had never been to the National Museum of Natural History before this past spring, but I was very impressed by the dinosaur displays and the scientists working there. The exhibit layouts were great and all the classic dinosaurs stars, like Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops, were there. Word has it that the dinosaur exhibit is going to get a facelift soon, too, so I will definitely have to go back there when it is finished.

The Natural History Museum in London

I can’t speak from personal experience about this one, but from what I have seen the British Natural History Museum mixes classic architecture with plenty of dinosaurs. It looks like a beautiful place to meander among the skeletons, and they have a really neat animatronic Tyrannosaurus to boot!

The Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, Canada

This museum helped Drumheller lay claim to the title of the “Dinosaur Capital of the World.” Situated near many fossil-bearing deposits, the museum boasts an impressive array of dinosaur skeletons that seem even more imposing against the dark backgrounds of the exhibits. I have only seen the displays in photographs and television documentaries, but it is definitely a museum I would like to visit.

The Field Museum

Chicago’s Field Museum is one of the top museums in the United States, and as with the other institutions on this list dinosaurs are among the museum’s main attractions. Even better, they have placed dinosaurs into an evolutionary context with their other fossil exhibits. They can also boast the skeleton of “Sue,” the most complete Tyrannosaurus ever found.

The Paleozoological Museum of China

Created by the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) in China, this museum holds an impressive collection of specimens, including many not seen any display elsewhere. Every major museum has a Tyrannosaurus or two, but the IVPP’s museum contains many exhibits showcasing the prehistory of China.

All of these museums carry out important research and have absolutely stunning exhibits, but if you had to pick just one to visit, which would you choose? Cast your vote in our poll below, and don’t forget to tell us why you picked your favorite!

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The skeleton of Ceratosaurus, from The Dinosaurs of North America.

I love old books and papers. It is important to stay on top of the latest peer-reviewed articles and symposium volumes, but every now and then I like to pull a yellowing old science book from the shelf and see what scientists of centuries past had to say.

One of my favorite volumes in my little library is a copy of O.C. Marsh’s 1896 masterpiece The Dinosaurs of North America. Marsh was one of the foremost American paleontologists of the late 19th century, and he had a major role in establishing the study of dinosaurs as we know it today. Printed by the U.S. Geological Survey, the huge monograph contains descriptions of many of the most famous dinosaurs like Triceratops, Ceratosaurus and Stegosaurus. Many of these scientific descriptions are matched with beautifully printed plates depicting individual bones and restored skeleton. Beyond its scientific importance, it is really a beautiful book to look at.

Until recently it was pretty difficult to find this volume. Only a few copies were in circulation and you had to pay through the nose if you wanted to own one. Fortunately, though, the book is so old that it is now in the public domain and can be shared freely on the internet. If you want to have a look at it yourself, check out the O.C. Marsh Papers Web site. It contains a copy of the book in PDF format, as well as numerous other papers written by Marsh. It is a treasure trove of classic paleontology, and hopefully we will someday see a similar repository of papers written by Marsh’s famous professional rival, E.D. Cope.

Cover of The World of Kong, courtesy Pocket Books

For the 2005 remake of King Kong, the special effects team at the Weta Workshop imagined what dinosaurs would be like if they survived into modern times. In fact, the artists created an entire menagerie that ended up filling the pages of The World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island, including many creatures that did not make it into the film. Of those who did grace the silver screen, though, none was more imposing than the enormous imaginary descendant of Tyrannosaurus called “Vastatosaurus rex.”

In one particularly memorable scene from the 2005 movie, a trio of Vastatosaurus take on King Kong, and now Universal Studios Hollywood wants to place visitors right in the middle of this titanic confrontation. According to the LA Times, the director of King Kong, Peter Jackson, is working with the theme park to create a new attraction in which guests are placed right in the middle of a battle between the giant gorilla and toothy dinosaurs. The ride will feature a wraparound screen, tram cars that react to what is on screen, and plenty of special effects like wind, fire, and dinosaur drool. It is set to open in 2010.