Latest exhibit a rocking good time at Great Swamp Conservancy

KANASTOTA — The fossil exhibit at the Great Swamp Conservancy is open until Friday March 10th.

This immersive walking tour takes visitors from the dawn of life on Earth to the present day with real fossil displays and hands-on archaeological activities.

The journey begins in the Precambrian, where life existed almost exclusively under water. Many of the species from this period, such as trilobites and stromatolites, have been frozen in time through fossilization. Their near-perfect imprints on dated rock give us a rare glimpse of what early species looked like and how they might have evolved over the years. Here children can discover and identify their own fossil by making fossil molds and apply archaeological techniques by making casts of common fossils of Precambrian species.

In the Mesozoic Era, more familiar mammals will be seen as participants step into the age of the dinosaurs. Discover the evolution of sharks, starting with the great mosasaur and ending with all the sharks we know and love today. This is the place to test your knowledge of shark teeth or learn more about what makes each bit different with the guided shark teeth identification activity.

Upon entering the terrestrial world, visitors will find all sorts of remains from the age of dinosaurs, including eggs and eggshells, footprints, skeletal fossils of various species, and more.

Kids can even dig and discover their own fossils buried in the sand and use microscopes to spot the unseen species of the era. The end of the expedition reaches the Cenozoic, a time of the infamous “Ice Age” with the woolly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers and the beginnings of humans.

Learn about the evolution and extinction of Cenozoic species and their modern-day ancestors by viewing the various fossil displays of the woolly mammoth, saber-toothed tiger, modern-day whales, frogs, bats and early human relics.

This exhibit is held Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Great Swamp Conservancy Museum Building at 8375 N. Main St. These times are subject to change due to other GSC programs.

Admission is $3 per person and is free for children under 3 years old. Reservations are required by calling 315-697-2950 or emailing [email protected]