Meet Megalodon: This Museum Has The Largest Shark That Ever Lived On Display

Featured Image: Smithsonian Mag/Ryan Donnell

Although the fear-inspiring Megalodon Shark is long extinct, you will have the chance to meet one face to face soon. The National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. recreated a life-sized sculpture of the fossilized king of the oceans and just recently opened the exhibition to the public.

In its prime, these sharks could grow to 60 feet long. As the largest sharks to ever live, these animals ruled the sea with their massive appetite. However, millions of years ago these sharks went extinct. Paleontologists are still not quite sure why they have vanished, but the fossilized remains have fascinated naturalists and casual observers for decades.

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Something big has found a new home @SmithsonianNMNH. Starting TOMORROW (5/24), a giant—and very toothy—C. megalodon shark will welcome visitors to our fully renovated Atrium Café and our new Ocean Terrace Café. This ancient shark lived roughly 16 to 2.6 million years ago in nearly every corner of the ocean, including in the ancient oceans that once covered the Chesapeake Bay region. Roughly up to 3 times the length of a modern-day great white shark, it is the largest shark to have ever lived. The name Carcharocles megalodon means “big toothed glorious shark.” The model was built by artist Gary Staab, with scientific direction from Smithsonian curator of vertebrate paleontology, Hans Sues and University of Maryland faculty member Bretton Kent. #shark #jaws #ocean #megalodon #sciart

A post shared by Smithsonian's NMNH (@smithsoniannmnh) on May 23, 2019 at 9:00am PDT

Gary Stabb is the artist who created the 52 foot long model of the shark using a combination of fiberglass, clay, and foam pieces. Stabb says, “my job is not to have a style but rather to be the animal- to make that thing as believable as possible.”

If you have ever wanted the chance to come face to face with megalodon, then your opportunity is here. Visit The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and head to their new exhibit, Hall of Fossils – Deep Time this summer.

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