The NHSM Fossil Club is for everyone. Whether you have been collecting all your life, are a professional paleontologist, just started, or have no idea what a fossil is or how to find one. If you are interested in fossils, this is the place for you. One of the club’s goals is to introduce new people to fossils and encourage them to start their own collections. To celebrate National Fossil Day (October 13), the Fossil Club gave away free fossils to anyone who stopped by. The November online meeting of the club is a follow-up.
Taught by members of the club, you will learn how how to start a fossil collection. Topics will include:
- Where do you get fossils?
- Purchasing, finding, trading
- What about replicas?
- Cataloging & Labeling
- The importance of provenance and data
- Cleaning specimens
- Organizing specimens
- Storing specimens
- Displaying specimens
Fossil collecting, as practiced by amateurs, is the predecessor of modern paleontology The science of paleontology cannot exist in a professional vacuum: without keen collectors and collaborative work our field cannot move forward. is like traveling back in time to get a peek at Earth’s past.
Natural History Society of Maryland’s Fossil Club is a group of novice and more experienced collectors will meet to exchange knowledge and help with fossil identification, discuss fossil locations, as well as other fossil related topics. Monthly meetings are held the first Wednesday of every month at the Natural History Society of Maryland. Due to COVID, NHSM is opening up this club meeting to all. Non-members are asked to donate $5. If you are a fossil enthusiast, please consider joining (https://www.marylandnature.org/club-membership/). The Natural History Society of Maryland is a volunteer-led non-profit organization, so the fee you pay will go directly to support the programs, the nature collections, and the building that make this kind of nature education possible
