Older than dinosaurs — and more threatened than threatening
Sharks are spectacular, surprising, and often misunderstood. Discover the incredible diversity of this ancient and fascinating group of fishes.
Featuring dozens of life-sized models ranging from 33 feet to 5.5 inches long!
Explore an array of 12 casts of jaws and teeth of various shark species, from a great white shark’s serrated teeth for hunting seals to a zebra shark’s small, sharp teeth, specialized to chew through shells.
Exhibit Highlights
Stunning 33-foot model of the world’s largest fish, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus)
Scientifically accurate model of megalodon – the largest predatory fish of all time, often called the “Tyrannosaurus rex of the seas”
Guide a shark to detect prey in the Hunt like a Hammerhead interactive experience
Explore a variety of fossils from AMNH’s collections
Seafood Watch Guide
Make your visit more impactful! Download the seafood guide from Seafood Watch at Monterey Bay Aquarium and learn how you can make ocean-friendly seafood choices, helping to protect sharks and other marine life.
Sharks have been around for nearly 450 million years—over 200 million years before the first dinosaurs appeared. Journey back in time and discover the ancient ancestors of sharks! Come face-to-face with the colossal megalodon, the largest predatory fish ever, and explore fossils of extinct species like the buzzsaw-jawed Helicoprion.
Teeth and Jaws
Did you know sharks never stop replacing their teeth? Check out 12 jaw and teeth casts from various shark species, including the fearsome great white with its seal-hunting serrated teeth and the zebra shark with its shell-crushing bite.
Biggest to Smallest
Sharks come in all sizes, from the gigantic whale shark, which can grow up to 40 feet long, to tiny deep-sea sharks like the dwarf lanternshark, which is just 8 inches long—and it even glows in the dark!
Super Sensors
Sharks have evolved some superpowers! Learn how they sense electromagnetic fields, detect low-frequency sounds, and see the incredible large-tooth sawfish blade that helps them hunt with electroreception.
Ancient Sharks
Sharks have been around for nearly 450 million years—over 200 million years before the first dinosaurs appeared. Journey back in time and discover the ancient ancestors of sharks! Come face-to-face with the colossal megalodon, the largest predatory fish ever, and explore fossils of extinct species like the buzzsaw-jawed Helicoprion.
Teeth and Jaws
Did you know sharks never stop replacing their teeth? Check out 12 jaw and teeth casts from various shark species, including the fearsome great white with its seal-hunting serrated teeth and the zebra shark with its shell-crushing bite.
Biggest to Smallest
Sharks come in all sizes, from the gigantic whale shark, which can grow up to 40 feet long, to tiny deep-sea sharks like the dwarf lanternshark, which is just 8 inches long—and it even glows in the dark!
Super Sensors
Sharks have evolved some superpowers! Learn how they sense electromagnetic fields, detect low-frequency sounds, and see the incredible large-tooth sawfish blade that helps them hunt with electroreception.
Official Media Partner
Featured in
Sharks is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (amnh.org). The Museum gratefully acknowledges Warner Bros. Discovery for its generous support of Sharks. A selection of footage in Sharks has been provided by Discovery’s Shark Week.
Begin your adventure in Curiosity Hall, where the excitement reaches new heights – literally!
Sharks
Older than dinosaurs — and more threatened than threatening Sharks are spectacular, surprising, and often misunderstood.
Lehigh Valley Health Network My Body
Embark on a journey into the incredible realm of the human body – the most sophisticated and complex machine on the planet!
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