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Dig Into Discovery with the Museum’s First Hands-On Rock and Fossil Fun Fair Since 2020, Happening February 22 & 23

It’s back and boulder than ever! Explore New York State’s rich natural history and meet leading scientists during the highly anticipated return of the Rock and Fossil Fun Fair. The family-friendly and free event, making its first appearance since 2020, takes place on February 22 and 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the New York State Museum. Thirteen unique interactive stations include extraordinary specimens from long before our time and allow children of all ages to dig for fossils, mine for minerals, and experiment with a river replica.

Young learners will benefit from unique experiments and activities created by New York State Museum scientists and educators and take home impressive prizes. Guests are encouraged to bring their favorite rocks and fossils for identification by members of the Capital District Mineral Club!

Lisa Amati, State Paleontologist, Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology said, “True learning happens when learners uncover fundamental principles through an experiential learning model, and it’s never too early to get children interested in natural history and inspire the next generation of science enthusiasts. The Paleontology and Geology collections at the Museum house the ancient physical and biological history of our state, starting about 1.3 billion years ago. We are thrilled to showcase part of our collection and engage with some of our youngest visitors.”

Kathryn Weller, Director of Education and Visitor Services said, “The Rock and Fossil Fun Fair embodies the type of dynamic, educational programming we strive to routinely deliver at the New York State Museum. I could not be more excited to bring back one of our most beloved, engaging events of the year. We look forward to welcoming both new and familiar faces as they uncover some of the state’s most impressive artifacts!”

Guests can dig through sand to unearth real fossils with the opportunity to take home their favorite specimen, learn how to collect micrometeorites in their own backyard, and view some of the most spectacular fossils, meteorites, minerals, and rocks from the Museum’s collection.

Additional giveaways include coloring sheets with scientific information on the back, minerals, and petrified wood.

For more information on upcoming events, including weekday programming, please visit the New York State Museum Public Programs webpage. We look forward to being part of your next educational adventure!

About the Cultural Education Center

Established in 1836, the New York State Museum is the oldest and largest public museum in the United States. Home to leading historians, archeologists, and anthropologists, its collections represent the State’s rich cultural and natural heritage from the past and present, including a staggering 20+ million artifacts spanning 1.1 billion years ago to today. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. For additional information, visit the New York State Museum website.

The New York State Library is part of the Office of Cultural Education within the New York State Education Department. Visit the New York State Library website for a complete list of upcoming programs. To receive news, resources, and other updates, please subscribe to the quarterly newsletter.

The New York State Archives holds many of the oldest and most important archival treasures in the nation. The Archives preserves and makes accessible over 250 million records of New York’s State and colonial governments dating from 1630 to the present.

The State Archives provides free access to photographs, artifacts, documents, manuscripts, and other materials that tell the story of New York’s history via its Digital Collections on the Archives website.

The Archives Partnership Trust was founded in 1992 to build an endowment and provide project support to enhance humanities programs, increase access to these outstanding treasures, and continue the preservation of New York's historical records. Since its founding, the Partnership Trust, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has supported exceptional projects and programs. These include the Research Residency Program, the Student Research Awards Program, history conferences, special exhibitions, public education programs, book signings and lectures, publications, teacher training institutes, preservation projects, and more.

The State Museum, State Library, and State Archives are programs of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or by visiting the Office of Cultural Education website.

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