Aurora Fossil Museum

Some of the world's finest marine fossil displays of the Pleistocene, Pliocene, and Miocene periods can be found at this Beaufort County museum.

Preview your trip on the web: Aurora Fossil Museum

Learn more

• American Field Guide A collection of online videos that explore many aspects of America's wilderness from animals to earth and space to public policy.
• Lesson plan: Physical characteristics of places: The fossil record This lesson asks students to consider how the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates alters the physical characteristics of places over geologic time. They'll investigate how climate has changed in specific world regions since the time of the dinosaurs and will write paragraphs explaining their findings.
• Lesson plan: Paperbag paleontology Cornell Paleontologist John Chiment enlists the aid of younger school children in sorting through materials collected at a dig site and, in the process, demonstrates that anyone can “do science.”

Related pages

• Horizons Unlimited: This wonderful education center and museum provides hands-on programs for students in the areas of history and the physical and biological sciences.
• Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum: Gems, minerals, fossils, Indian artifacts, and much more can be found at the Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum.
• Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson County: A wonderful selection of minerals, gemstones, fossils, and Native American artifacts can be found in this museum.

Related topics

• Learn more about American Indians, Beaufort County, North Carolina, Pamlico River, Pungo River, fossils, geology, minerals, natural history, ore, paleontology, science, and science museums.

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Learn about the great geologic forces that created the Coastal Plain over millions of years. Explore two rooms of fossilized bones, teeth, shells, and coral on display. “The North Carolina Archaeology room features a comprehensive collection of projectile points, stone tools, jewelry and cooking implements of native Americans from Eastern North Carolina.” Students can sift through tons of fossil bed diggings and find shark’s teeth and fossils for free. Please see the photographs of the museum from NC ECHO. The Aurora Fossil Museum is located at 400 Main St. in Aurora, NC. The hours of operation are: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. Call 919-322-4238 for more information and to schedule a visit.

If you would like to receive fossil kits to use in the classroom, PCS Phosphate will mail them to you. Contact Melissa Nanney, Public Affairs at PCS Phosphate 252-322-8296. Please do not contact Aurora Fossil Museum for the kits.
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