Jaws, claws and poo at dino show

Newsround's Leigh Mytton got a sneak preview of the Dino Jaws exhibition at London's Natural History Museum.

The interactive show looks at the jaws, claws, guts and poo of these fascinating creatures which roamed the Earth millions of years ago.

It runs from 30 June 2006 to 15 April 2007.

---

Rahhhhhh! The computer roared at me as I checked in on my first day as a dinosaur scientist.

On the screen, two companions who would guide me through my voyage of discovery appeared.

They told me I was going to get a set of clues as I made my way through the exhibition.

There would be a test at the end: I had to identify a certain dino using the evidence I had collected.

Edmontosaurus

I was ready for the challenge.

My entrance card had a barcode on it. I would need this to check in with my virtual companions.

I tucked it safely in my pocket - and ventured into the darkness.

Eek! Looming out of the shadows, I spotted three fearsome creatures foraging for food.

Click here to see pictures from the exhibition

They were tyrannosaurus, brachiosaurus and edmontosaurus.

Grip

Okay, they were animatronic, but they were so lifelike!

I pitched my grip against the might of a T-Rex's jaws, jiggled stones inside a dino tummy and watched how the creatures crushed plants between their teeth.

Using my barcode, I picked up another clue from my computer screen pals and headed off on a dig.

He winked at me!

I selected my tools and carefully scraped away the dirt and grime surrounding some suspected dino remains.

Okay, they were virtual tools, but I enjoyed rubbing and tapping away on the huge screen to my heart's content.

Proud of my new-found skills, I ventured further into the darkness, to be greeted by three weeks worth of dino poo. Yes, really!

After giving it a good feel (it wasn't real), I felt some real fossilised dino poo. Don't worry - it was hard, not squidgy.

T-Rex and his pals had been dino heads, but now I was confronted by a gang of full-size animatronics.

Mucky

The euoplocephalus waved his clubbed tail at me, and then I'm sure he winked.

The fluffy velociraptors were mucky eaters - they had food all round their faces - and the coelophysis was snacking on its own species. Yes, this creature was a cannibal. Yikes!

My quest was almost over. I was totally clued up and had a good idea which dino I was discovering.

Mucky eater

There was just time to check out the oviraptor, who seemed to be having his own private disco in a flashing lights-filled box, then it was time to report back to my buddies.

I guessed right!

I had been paying attention after all, and I was invited to log on to the Dino Jaws website to get a certificate to prove it.

I stepped out of the exhibition and back into the 21st Century.

I'd had a taste of dinosaur hunting and suddenly being a journalist didn't seem quite as exciting!