Mission:

The Hamburg Natural History Society promotes the hands on study of natural sciences, including geology, astronomy, and ecology through the operation of the Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve, a tourist attraction for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

Penn Dixie began in 1993 under the care of the HNHS to promote the study of the natural sciences in western New York. The centerpiece of Penn Dixie is a fossil quarry — ranked #1 in the U.S. in a scientific study — which is a global geological treasure that attracts thousands of visitors from across the world every year.

Visitors to Penn Dixie are encouraged to collect — and keep — fossils from a shallow ocean environment that existed 380 million years ago. Penn Dixie features nature trails, a wetlands area, and educational programming in ecology, astronomy, geology, and ornithology.