Art Contest The National Park Service and National Fossil Day partners are sponsoring an art contest to celebrate the first annual National Fossil Day. The theme for this contest is: "Paleontology: preserving the past for our future." Learn more...	Junior Paleontologist Activities The new Junior Paleontologist program engages young people in activities that allow them to discover the significance of fossils and the science of paleontology, introduces them to the national park system, and to the mission of the National Park Service. Learn more...
Trail of Time The opening of the Trail of Time, a major Geoscience Exhibition at Grand Canyon National Park, is scheduled on National Fossil Day. The opening of the 4.56 km (2.83 mile) long geologic timeline trail will be accompanied by a workshop on Geoscience Education in the National Park System October 13-15, 2010. Learn more...	National Mall Event Come celebrate the first annual National Fossil Day in the Nation's Capital. Join paleontologists and park rangers in events and activities on the National Mall and Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on October 13. Learn more...
New Fossil Preservation Law Title VI of Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Pub.L. 111-11) established the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act of 2009 (PRPA) to better manage and protect paleontological resources on Federal lands using scientific principles and expertise. Learn more...	Earth Science Week National Fossil Day is a part of Earth Science Week, an event that encourages people everywhere to explore the natural world and learn about the geosciences. Earth Science Week is celebrated the second full week of October throughout the nation as well as in other countries. Learn more...

October 13th, 2010

MISSION: National Fossil Day is a celebration organized by the National Park Service to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as to foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational values.
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Fossil Day Feature Articles

Paleontology in the National Parks

The National Park Service conserves a great diversity of ancient life preserved as fossils. Collectively, fossils discovered in parks span geologic time from primitive algae found high in the mountains of Glacier National Park, Montana, to the remains of ice age animals known from caves in the Grand Canyon, Arizona.
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