Fossil Site Viewing Deck

The Gray Fossil Site is a roughly five-acre deposit of ancient dark clay full of five-million-year-old fossils. The site’s location here in town not only makes it a convenient and accessible place for scientific work, but also an incredible place for the public to visit.

From the deck behind the museum, visitors can look out at the excavation pits that our paleontologists have opened over the years. During the dig season (generally May-October), the field crew is outside actively digging up the remains of tapirs, rhinos, mastodons, and more. Out on the site, the field crew also collects bags of sediment and washes them over screens to clear away the clay and reveal the smallest fossils. Museum guests can even get an up-close view of the operation by joining the Paleo Tours that are offered throughout each day.