UA Museum Offers Fossil Fun during Annual Event

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The community has an opportunity to explore some of the interesting creatures that once roamed Alabama’s lands during National Fossil Day at the Alabama Museum of Natural History at Smith Hall on The University of Alabama’s campus.

National Fossil Day is a celebration to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as to foster greater appreciation of their scientific and educational values. The celebration day was established by the National Parks Service and has been celebrated by the museum for the past three years.

“National Fossil Day is a great way to celebrate Alabama’s diverse geologic and fossil history,” said Allie Sorlie, museum education outreach coordinator. “Discovering Alabama’s ancient past can help us understand our present day terrain. Plus, it’s really neat to see all of the interesting creatures that used to live in what is now our backyard.”

The free event will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, in the grand gallery of Smith Hall, and it will feature table presenters with fossil collections, experts available to identify fossils, 3-D printing demonstrations and a talk about Alabama paleontology by a museum paleontologist.

This year’s event will feature various presenters from organizations like the Geologic Survey and the Evolutionary Studies Club and new fossil collections.

“Fossils tell the story of our past,” Sorlie said. “They show us what the landscape and environment was like at a time when people were not yet around and help tell the story of where all of the plants and animals we see today began. Learning about our past teaches us about our present.”

UA’s Alabama Museum of Natural History is in Smith Hall near the Quad at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Capstone Drive on The University of Alabama campus.