Category: Blog

Spring Cleanup

Spring Cleanup

Penn Dixie

Saturday, May 18th, 2024, 10 am to 12 pm

Join our team of volunteers as we perform the annual cleanup of Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve!

Helpers are needed for various beautification projects including debris pickup and general maintenance. Waterproof boots are strongly recommended; please dress for the weather as we will be outdoors for several hours. Work gloves are helpful, too. We will have a limited supply of gloves on hand for those who do not bring them.

There is no charge for admission and those who help will receive a family membership gift certificate! All volunteers are invited to stay after the cleanup ends for some free fossil hunting fun.

Contact Sydney Mecca at sydney@penndixie.org to register or use the form below.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Membership Gift Pack

Membership Gift Pack

Penn Dixie

Give the gift of science!

Update: Membership gift packs are temporarily unavailable.

Your lucky recipients will enjoy one year of Penn Dixie membership and all sorts of goodies for new and returning fossil hunters!

Membership Gift Packs are available with either Family ($109.99) or Individual ($59.99) membership certificates. Free shipping! Membership is not activated until application and gift certificates are redeemed. Certificates are redeemable upon first visit during seasonal park hours (May – September) or via mail.

Family Pack $109.99
Individual Pack $59.99

Includes:

  1. One year Family Membership – $90 value — with unlimited free admission for two adults and up to four children/grandchildren under age 18 -OR- Individual Membership – $40 value — with member benefits for one adult;
  2. Four Trilobite guest passes — $64 value;
  3. Trilobite bandana — $5 value;
  4. Penn Dixie sticker — $2.50 value;
  5. Amazing Arthropods gift box — $6 value;
  6. Two tool rental coupons — $20 value;
  7. Penn Dixie koozie  — $5 value;
  8. Trilobite patch — $3.50 value;
  9. One “Fossil Four Pack” grab bag containing Penn Dixie fossils — $5 value;
  10. One “Global Explorer” grab bag containing fossils from around the world (shark teeth, dinosaur bone pieces, oysters, Moroccan sea snails) — $5 value;
  11. Penn Dixie eNews updates & digital newsletter subscription; and
  12. Savings on special events and in our gift shop.

You’ll receive all of these items — over $200 value — inside a custom-designed, locally screened artisan box that features paleoart by Ernst Haeckel and is perfect for storing your fossil collection. Please note that the contents of our gift packs periodically change! The list above is what is currently in our gift packs.

Surprise a friend or treat yourself!

Now Open 7 Days a Week!

Now Open 7 Days a Week!

Penn Dixie

Penn Dixie is open daily from 9 am – 4:30 pm. The first tour departs at 9:15 am; subsequent tours are held every 30 minutes. The final tour is 2:45 pm and the park closes at 4:30 pm. Final entry for non-members is at 2:45 pm. Tickets can be purchased day-of on site, but we recommend booking tickets online if you have a specific tour time that you would like.

The park is open daily from June 12th to September 4th, then return to weekends-only until mid-October. Full information regarding hours and rates can be found here: https://penndixie.org/hours-and-rates/

New to fossil hunting? Not quite sure what to expect from Penn Dixie? Wondering what to bring? Check out our frequently asked questions page: https://penndixie.org/faq/

Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve is generously supported by Erie County and the Town of Hamburg.

Erie County Earth Science Day

Erie County Earth Science Day

Penn Dixie

On Saturday, October 1st, join us from 10 am – 3 pm, rain or shine, to learn about Western New York’s natural history, ecology, and resources through interactive exhibits and demonstrations in a family-friendly setting. Experience hands-on learning under the big tent!

2022’s special guests include:

There will also be a special Memory Quest activity on Earth Science Day! Teams of two or more must search around the park to answer questions and collect tokens to solve a puzzle. A keen ear and a sharp memory will help your team to the grand prize!

Thanks to the generous support of Erie County and the Buffalo Association of Professional Geologists, Earth Science Day is FREE to ALL – no registration or tickets are required. All ages are welcome. This event is accessible to those with mobility impairments and we recommend the use of a reach tool for fossil collecting.

2016 Earth Science Day 4
Our famous fossil hunting is FREE on Earth Science Day!

Complimentary fossil collecting trowels will be available to all guests during the event.

Teachers: Please contact us in advance to schedule your group. There is no charge for unguided group tours on Earth Science Day but we request advance notice to help with our parking planning. Guided group tours are available at our usual rates.

This FREE event is made possible by Erie County and the Town of Hamburg. Donations are welcome through the day of the event and will support Penn Dixie’s community education efforts.

Dip it Good: Dip Netting at Penn Dixie

Dip it Good: Dip Netting at Penn Dixie

Penn Dixie

June 11th, 6 pm – 7:30pm

Did you know that Penn Dixie is home to two wetlands? Come make a splash with us as we explore the macroinvertebrates and other aquatic creatures living onsite!

Please dress in weather-appropriate gear, pack layers, and wear boots – we recommend rubber boots for this program. Additionally, we advise that you bring bottled water as we do not have running water on site. There are portable toilets available near the parking lot. In the event of heavy rain or if we detect lightning on site, the program will be cancelled, you will be notified via email and receive a full refund.

Admission is $7 per participant, free for Penn Dixie members. Registration is required – Members who need a registration code, please contact the office at 716-627-4560.

Registration closes at noon on 6/11.

Cancelation policy: Penn Dixie will not refund payments for cancellations made less than 48 hours prior to the program. Refunds will not be available for registrants who choose not to attend a class/program. If you registered for a program that was canceled by Penn Dixie, you will receive a full refund