How do dinosaur fossils form? | Natural History Museum?

Dinosaurs turn into fossils when they get buried deep underground and stay there for a really long time.

Imagine you drop your favorite toy in a puddle and it gets covered by leaves, dirt, and rocks, then you forget about it for years. Eventually, the toy might look all squished and maybe even a bit rock-like, but it’s still your toy. That's kind of what happens to dinosaurs.

1. A dinosaur dies and falls into water or mud.
2. Over time, sediment, like tiny pieces of sand or dirt, covers the dinosaur's body.
3. The pressure from all that sediment pushes down on the bones, making them hard and solid over many years.
4. Eventually, the rest of the body turns to rock, but the bones stay as they are, now they're fossils!

Sometimes, if a dinosaur is buried quickly, even parts of its skin or feathers can turn into fossils too, like how your cookie might leave an imprint on the table if it squishes down.