An Arizona museum tells the stories of ancient animals through their fossilized poop

One way to help tell how a Tyrannosaurus rex digested food is to look at its poop.

Bone fragments in a piece of fossilized excrement at a new museum in northern Arizona—aptly called the Poozeum—are among the tinier bits of evidence that indicate T. rex wasn't much of a chewer, but rather swallowed whole chunks of prey. The sample is one of more than 7,000 on display at the museum that opened in May in Williams, a town known for its Wild West shows along Route 66, wildlife attractions and a railway to Grand Canyon National Park. The Poozeum sign features a bright green T. rex cartoon character sitting on a toilet to grab attention from the buzzing neon lights and muffled 1950s music emanating from other businesses.

Inside, display cases filled with coprolites—fossilized feces from animals that lived millions of years ago—line the walls. They range from minuscule termite droppings to a massive specimen that weighs 20 pounds (9 kilograms). Poozeum's president and curator, George Frandsen, bought his first chunk of fossilized feces from a shop in Moab, Utah, when he was 18, he said. He already loved dinosaurs and fossils but had never heard of fossilized poop. From there, his fascination grew. "It was funny. It was gross," he said. "But I learned very quickly it could tell us so much about our prehistoric past and how important they are to the fossil record ."

Fossilized crocodilian excrement is displayed at the "Poozeum", Friday, June 7, 2024, in Williams, Ariz. The museum in northern Arizona along Route 66 features the fossilized feces of prehistoric animals. Frandsen has been collecting the fossils known as coprolites for nearly three decades. His museum features roughly 7,000 fossils, including one suspected to be from a Tyrannosaurus rex. Credit: AP Photo/Ty ONeil Read more

President and curator George Frandsen stands for a photograph inside his "Poozeum", Friday, June 7, 2024 in Williams, Ariz. The museum in northern Arizona along Route 66 features the fossilized feces of prehistoric animals. Frandsen has been collecting the fossils known as coprolites for nearly three decades. His museum features roughly 7,000 fossils, including one suspected to be from a Tyrannosaurus rex. Credit: AP Photo/Ty ONeil Read more

President and curator George Frandsen stands for a photograph inside his "Poozeum", Friday, June 7, 2024 in Williams, Ariz. The museum in northern Arizona along Route 66 features the fossilized feces of prehistoric animals. Frandsen has been collecting the fossils known as coprolites for nearly three decades. His museum features roughly 7,000 fossils, including one suspected to be from a Tyrannosaurus rex. Frandsen holds two Guinness Book of World Records titles for parts of his collection. Credit: AP Photo/Ty ONeil Read more

A fossilized coprolite in a casting at the "Poozeum" is shown, Friday, June 7, 2024 in Williams, Ariz. The museum in northern Arizona along Route 66 features the fossilized feces of prehistoric animals. Frandsen has been collecting the fossils known as coprolites for nearly three decades. His museum features roughly 7,000 fossils, including one suspected to be from a Tyrannosaurus rex. Frandsen holds two Guinness Book of World Records titles for parts of his collection. Credit: AP Photo/Ty ONeil Read more

President and curator George Frandsen stands outside his "Poozeum", Friday, June 7, 2024, in Williams, Ariz. The museum in northern Arizona along Route 66 features the fossilized feces of prehistoric animals. Frandsen has been collecting the fossils known as coprolites for nearly three decades. His museum features roughly 7,000 fossils, including one suspected to be from a Tyrannosaurus rex. Credit: AP Photo/Ty ONeil Read more