Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum - Bathurst, New South Wales

N L.

The Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum is a hidden gem housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century public school building that we decided to stop at to break up a long drive between Dubbo and Katoomba. The museum contains many specimens, including a complete T. rex skeleton, rare fossils, gemstones, and minerals from around the world, each labeled and some with information panels. Children will enjoy the hands-on activities with the microscopes, the dinosaur exhibit, as well as looking for the 12 tiny dinosaurs hidden around the museum. There are also adorable drawings of dinosaurs outside the museum drawn on the brick pavement, which tickled the kids no end. It is, however, a little cosy compared to other museums that we have been to.

Par H.

I love rocks. I actually have several at home that are heavy which I use for weight-lifting. Bluestone. Basalt. That basalt I travelled 800km to get. It's besutiful. And I have some lovely Onyx bookends.

The Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum has 1000s of rocks. Well, I say rocks (and respectfully too) but they have minerals, skeletons, trees, crystals and gems. Lots to see and do for adults and kids.

It is amazing to look at a flat square of rock to see a fish that last swam 400 million years ago. Don't quote me on the years, I'm not super good at the timeline names and dates and occupants. I mean, I am #TeamPleistocene but I also like the Ediacara. Btw, did you see they opened up Ediacara dig site (well, the museum site). It's a loooooooong drive from Bathurst but one day - one day! The AFAMM has lots of discreet labels, intel and info to help you know and understand.

I like this place so much that I have been here twice. And could easily go again. Bear in mind, I'm not a local and I only visit Bathurst for the V8s in October. But I honestly say to people, "I went to Bathurst for the V8s but Bathurst also has a great mineral and dinosaur museum."

My fav sections are the pretty crystals, the hands-on amber magnifying table and the plates of fish, octopus-looking starbites (sic) - and of course the bigyin dinosaurs! Its also cool they include in the display household items which include chemicals or minerals. Since my first visit in 2014, when ever I look up at my smoke alarms, I think "Americanium!" which is something I learnt here.

In the gift shop, you can buy certified/verified amber, mammoth bones, and the typical merch. I nearly bought the $400 megalodon tooth but opted for the $60 bug in amber. It'll sit proudly beside the meteorite that I got last year at Australia Zoo.

Zac T.

wow best mineral specimen collection I have ever seen all very well displayed, everyone would find this interesting not just those interested in the subject, fossil section was great too.

jessie W.

OMG! I almost believed there were dinosaurs 🦖 in this museum. HaHaHa!

I’m not a big fan of dinosaurs, but this place is really interesting. I could stay there for an hour learning everything, including the history of the town.
The staff are really nice and friendly.
We had a wonderful afternoon at this museum.

Jay H.

Great place to take the kids. Even adults. Loved it.

Kristy G.

I had no idea what to expect when we visited this museum, but it was one of the best museums I’ve visited. It is small in size, but jam-packed with a wonderful selection of fossils and minerals. It’s well set-out, informative, interactive and fun. The whole family enjoyed the museum. We will definitely visit again when we return to Bathurst.

Hussain R.

The Mineral and Fossil Museum in Bathurst is a hidden gem! The collection is incredibly diverse and well-presented, showcasing a wide range of minerals, fossils, and gemstones from around the world.

The displays are informative and engaging, making it a great learning experience for all ages. We particularly enjoyed the various mineral display.

The museum staff were friendly and knowledgeable, happy to answer any questions we had. The prices are quite reasonable and we found it value for money.

H K.

Nice little museum. Very informative and helpful. They have plenty of souvenirs.