Yeah, tigerlily is correct. Some museums DO use the originals, but some species are only known from one specimen. It's only fair to replicate it to allow more than one place to display it.. and study it.

I love to go to lake Michigan beach, because there are TONS of very cool fossils to find. Lots of shells, coral, plant stems, and misc animals that I don't really know what they are.

I have a fossil crocodile jaw too.. it has 5 teeth in it.