Cape Breton Fossil Centre

Coal and Cape Breton go together like lobster and butter. The Carboniferous period left tremendous coal deposits on Nova Scotia’s northeastern island resulting in a close, historical bond between the black rock and the people. But coal was not the only treasure left behind hundreds of millions of years ago. Fossils, evidence of the ancient life that created those same coal deposits, are also plentiful and the Cape Breton Fossil Centre aims to teach you all about them.

This focused museum is found on the west side of Syndey Mines on the west side of Syndey Harbour. Sharing space with the Syndey Mines Heritage Museum, the Cape Breton Fossil Centre claims to hold the largest collection of Carboniferous plant fossils in Atlantic Canada. With more than 800 specimens on display and opportunities to tour the nearby beaches for more, it’s a great place to get your fossil fix.

Getting to Cape Breton isn’t the easiest task in the world, but well worth the effort. So much history and culture to take in. And it’s far from a one trick pony. The Cape Breton Miners Museum in Glace Bay is only a 40 minute drive to the east making these two museums an easy twin bill for earth science and history fanatics.

Better yet, make a full tour of Nova Scotia and check out other terrific Carboniferous fossil sites and museums such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Joggins Cliffs.