Age of Fishes Museum facts for kids
The Age of Fishes Museum is a special place in Canowindra, New South Wales, Australia. It's one of only two museums in the world focused on fish fossils! This museum is very important for science globally. It opened in 1998 and was designed by a famous Australian architect, John Andrews.
The museum holds a huge collection of fish fossils. These fossils are from the Devonian period, which was over 360 million years ago. They were found nearby in an area called the Mandagery Sandstone.
Discovering Ancient Fish
The story of the museum began in 1955. Roadworkers near Canowindra found a large rock slab. It had strange shapes on it, like impressions of fish. They moved the slab to the side of the road.
Later, a local beekeeper found this rock. He thought it might contain fossils. So, he contacted the Australian Museum to tell them about his discovery.
The Big Dig
In 1993, a scientist named Alex Ritchie led a big dig. His team went to the spot where the first fossils were found. They carefully removed 70 tonnes of rock. This huge effort uncovered over 3,000 fish fossils!
These fossils are all from the Devonian period. The dig site has helped scientists learn a lot. It tells us about events that happened more than 360 million years ago.
Museum Achievements
In 2018, the museum won a special award. It received a gold medal at the Country and Outback Regional Tourism Awards. This was for its excellent "Specialised Tourism Services."
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