If any young aspiring fossil hunters are looking to dig up some summertime fun, look no further than the Cranbrook History Centre.
The centre is organizing Junior Paleontology sessions for kids ages 6-12 every Saturday throughout the summer, except for the August long weekend.
At a cost of $5, kids can get the chance to learn about the local fossil record, which includes sizeable discoveries of trilobites in the Cranbrook and Fort Steele areas. Each session lasts about 1.5 hours and will be held outside under the new timber frame structure that is covering and protecting the railcar exhibits.
The aim is to introduce the children to local paleontology and aspects of research, discovery and preservation,” said Honor Neve, the curator for the Cranbrook History Centre. “So under supervision, we’ve got a couple volunteers signed up, children will split rocks to find Middle Cambrian trilobites preserved in soft shale.”
“Any trilobites or fossils that the kids find, they get to keep.”
Each session will start on Saturdays at 10:30 am and run till 12 p.m. Dates are July 6, 13, 20, 27 and August 10, 17, 24.
Parents are encouraged to register their kids by calling 250-489-3918 or sending an email to info@cranbrookhistorycentre.com
The program is sponsored by the East Kootenay Chamber of Mines for the third straight year.
Neve added that the History Centre is currently gauging interest in holding paleontology sessions for adults in the fall.
trevor.crawley@cranbrooktownsman.com
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