Fossil Discovery Center
Completed: January 2017
Amount Raised: $1,500,000
Top Donors: MS Doss Foundation, The Brown Foundation, Amon G. Carter Foundation, Alec Rhodes, Abell-Hanger Foundation, Permian Basin Area Foundation, Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation
About the Project
Big Bend Conservancy proudly supported the creation of the Fossil Discovery Exhibit, the park’s first new exhibit space in more than thirty years. This remarkable site brings to life 120 million years of Big Bend’s paleontological history, showcasing one of the richest fossil records in the National Park System.
Home to more than 1,100 known fossil species, including 35 from the Cretaceous period, Big Bend continues to yield extraordinary discoveries, such as Bravoceratops, a new species of horned dinosaur unearthed in 2013. The exhibit allows visitors to stand where ancient seas once covered the desert and dinosaurs once roamed, connecting science, imagination, and landscape in a truly unforgettable way.
Designed for visitors of all ages, the Fossil Discovery Exhibit has quickly become one of the park’s most popular destinations, inspiring curiosity in families and future scientists alike. In 2020, Big Bend Conservancy deepened its commitment to this site by funding new interpretive signage for The Boneyard and establishing an endowment to ensure its protection for generations to come.