Schiele Museum to make big announcement at Fossil Fair

Chloe Collins, Gaston Gazette
·2 min read
Caleb Rodrigues looks for fossils at the Mini Fossil Dig along with his younger brother, Landon Rodrigues, and their mother, Shannon Rodrigues, during the Fossil Fair held Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia.
Caleb Rodrigues looks for fossils at the Mini Fossil Dig along with his younger brother, Landon Rodrigues, and their mother, Shannon Rodrigues, during the Fossil Fair held Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia.

The Schiele Museum is gearing up for its 24th annual Fossil Fair, and this year, the event will also serve as an opportunity for the museum to make an announcement.

From 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, visitors can participate in all the usual Fossil Fair activities.

According to a press release from the museum, “Participants can search for North Carolina fossils, meet live animals (“living fossils”), mine for gemstones, take a Dino Safari, talk to geologists and paleontologists, enjoy a dinosaur-themed planetarium show, and learn all about prehistoric life through hands-on activities.”

Rock Collectors, gemstone enthusiasts and fossil hunters will be able to chat with experts on-site to help identify specimens, learn more about rocks, and purchase geodes, rocks, fossils, and more.

“Geologists will be available to help beginners mine for their own gemstones and learn more about their finds. There will also be family-friendly scavenger hunts, fossil digs, crafts, and a special planetarium show, “Jurassic Flaws,” that explores the science behind a popular dinosaur movie,” the release said.

Those attending Fossil Fair will also have the ability to take quizzes, play games and find information about specific exhibits all from their phones this year.

The Schiele says it will be announcing a brand new Dino Hall during the event, and visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the Paleo Project, a campaign dedicated to planning and funding the new exhibit, which is slated to open in 2025.

Fossil Fair costs $18 per person for entry at the door while advance tickets are $15 for adults, $14 for children, and $11 for members.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at schielemuseum.org.

A Quetzalcoatlus feeding its young greet visitors to Dinosaur Day Saturday morning, Sept. 30, 2023, at the Schiele Museum.
A Quetzalcoatlus feeding its young greet visitors to Dinosaur Day Saturday morning, Sept. 30, 2023, at the Schiele Museum.

According to the release, Museum Program Specialist and Fossil Fair Coordinator Nathan Chapman said, “By investigating fossils, we can learn about the Earth’s past and better understand the world we live in today. At Fossil Fair, visitors can see, touch, and examine treasures that have been buried for millions of years, and learn more about the history they hold.”

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Fossil Fair coming up at the Schiele Museum