Pre-History Trip: Fundy Geological Museum

The first part of our day was spent at the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, exploring the museum and rocky beach. Once we left Joggins, we headed over to the Fundy Geological Museum. The Fundy Geological Museum, though also focusing on the geological past of Nova Scotia, has a larger focus on dinosaurs!

Only about a half an hour drive from the cliffs, we arrived by mid-afternoon.

Eldon’s Dinosaur Statue

While parking, we (myself, my boyfriend, and a friend) were greeted by a statue that I had seen before. It was a green dinosaur, clearly looking as though it has lived a long life.

I first encountered the dinosaur about ten years before, but not at the museum. The well-known Parrasboro Rock and Mineral Shop used to be its home. A small store filled with tourist trinkets, jewelry, minerals and stones was a must see for visitors. The shop was owned by Eldon George, a local fossil enthusiast, who has earned the Order of Nova Scotia and published a rex-cellent article in National Geographic. He also discovered the “world’s smallest dinosaur footprints”, which can be found in the museum!

Dinosaur statue. — Eldon’s dinosaur statue, where it sits in front of the Museum!

When his shop closed in 2015, the well-loved dinosaur found a new home. As you enter the museum, there is a plaque about the dinosaur and its dino-mite history across from the ticket counter. It details the life of Eldon, his shop, and the museum’s plans to further develop an exhibit (donation box available).

Timeline at the Fundy Geological Museum. — The panel on Eldon, his dinosaur, and his shop!

About the museum

The museum was founded in 1993, after locals and the Cumberland Geological Society advocated for its creation. With discoveries such as Eldon’s, it was clear that Parrasboro was in need of a place to share these findings and the unique traits of Nova Scotia. The Fundy Geological Museum is part of the Nova Scotia Museum, meaning that this museum is included in the “Nova Scotia Museum Pass”. The year pass includes admissions on select museums throughout the province.

Inside, the staff greeted us on a quiet day. Admission for adults is $6, while children, seniors and students pay $4. In the summer, there are three different types of beach tours, all offered on specific dates listed on their website (varying additional costs).

The exhibition

We made our way through, and it was rawr-some to have the place to ourselves. With each turn into the exhibition, it was easy to see the direction we were supposed to head. The Fundy Geological Museum has a very organized layout, making the exhibition flow well.

A dinosaur skeleton from Nova Scotia's Fundy Geological Museum. — Inside the Museum’s main exhibition!

The exhibition contains lots of fossils from different plant and animal species, mainly focusing on the geological traits of Nova Scotia. The museum lends itself to different means of learning with plaques, interactive displays, hands on crafts and activities, videos with audio and paintings. There is even a window to the lab, where you can see paleontologists and volunteer work to help preserve specimens.

Paintings of dinosaurs from Nova Scotia's pre-history.

One of my favourite parts of the museum are the paintings. Featuring dinosaurs in a prehistoric Nova Scotia, they helped me visualize the world that dinosaurs roamed. There are also a couple of these paintings in the Museum of Natural History (Halifax, NS).

Painting from Nova Scotia's pre-history.

Painting of dinosaurs from Nova Scotia's pre-history.

Painting of dinosaurs on a beach in Nova Scotia's pre-history.

While mainly housing geological information, there is also a small section on human history. Much like the Joggins Museum, it details briefly the human presence in the area, focusing on their relationship to the environment.

We spent about an hour looking through the museum, taking photos, and discussing different details.

Final Thoughts

After our long day of driving and learning, we headed to a local restaurant to grab dinner. Overlooking the bay, the restaurant had amazing seafood with a spectacular view of the water. With all that exploring under our belts, we packed up in the car for our ride back home.

The Fundy Geological Museum is jammed packed with learning opportunities for those young and young at heart. A great stop on any road trip, Parrsboro is a spot I’d love to stay for a weekend away. If you’re in the area, I certainly suggest stopping by the Fundy Geological Museum. If you’re not in the area – start planning your ext-roar-dinary visit today!

P.S. Thanks for joining me on this two part journey! You’ll hear about my next adventure much sooner :). Can’t wait until then!

Kirby

If you haven’t had a chance to peak at the first part of this post, I highly suggest popping to the last article and reading about my travels earlier in the day to the Joggins Fossil Cliffs!