Aurora Fossil Museum facts for kids
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| Established | May 1978 |
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| Location | Aurora, North Carolina |
| Type | Natural history museum |
| Key holdings | Miocene and Pliocene era fossils |
The Aurora Fossil Museum is a cool museum in Aurora, North Carolina. It's a place where you can learn all about natural history. The museum has a huge collection of fossils. Many of these fossils come from a nearby phosphate mine. This mine is owned by a company called PotashCorp.
The museum also has fossils from all over the world. You can see displays about geology and even meteorites. The fossils from the local mine are very old. They are about 18 to 22 million years old, and some are 2.5 to 5 million years old. These fossils come from layers of rock called the Pungo River and Yorktown formations.
Contents
Discovering Ancient Life
The Aurora Fossil Museum teaches you about the amazing history of the Aurora area. This area is famous for finding fossils. People love to hunt for fossils here, especially because of the phosphate mine.
What You Can See
The museum's main collection focuses on fossils. These include ancient shark teeth, shells, and other sea creatures. They show what life was like millions of years ago. You can also learn about different types of rocks and how Earth has changed.
Fossil Hunting Fun
The museum has two special areas called "spoils piles." These piles are in a park right across the street. They are filled with leftover dirt and rocks from the mine. It's easy to find small fossils here. You might discover tiny shells, pieces of coral, or even shark teeth! These piles are open every day during daylight hours.
Museum History and Events
The Aurora Fossil Museum first started in 1976. It officially opened its doors in 1978. Many groups worked together to create it. These included the town of Aurora, local mines, and East Carolina University. Visitors are always welcome to search for fossils in the nearby spoils piles.
Annual Fossil Festival
Since 1983, the museum has hosted a special event every May. It's called the Fossil Festival. This festival is a big celebration for fossil lovers. It often includes a fun fossil auction. People can bid on unique and rare fossils.
