The Somerville Collection was gifted to the Bathurst community by Warren Somerville in 2005.
The T. rex skeleton on display is one of the most complete specimens in Australia.
The collection includes a 2-meter tall crystal formation that is among the largest of its kind on public display.
The museum building originally served as the Bathurst Public School for over a century before conversion.
The mineral collection contains specimens from every continent, including Antarctica.
The site features a significant collection of Permian fossils found within the local Bathurst region.
The museum houses rare fluorescent minerals that react under ultraviolet lighting in a dedicated dark room.
The Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum is home to the Somerville Collection, an internationally significant assemblage of rare minerals and fossils. It is housed within the heritage-listed 1876 Bathurst Public School building. The museum features a complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, standing as one of its most prominent exhibits. Visitors can view rare diamonds, gold nuggets, and meteorites sourced from global locations. The collection encompasses over 2,000 specimens spanning millions of years of geological history. Educational displays explain the evolution of life and the chemical composition of earth-derived treasures. The site is part of the Museums Bathurst network, which preserves the regional history of the New South Wales Central Tablelands. The interior utilizes the historic school's high ceilings and classroom layouts to showcase its exhibits.
The T. rex skeleton in the main exhibition hall provides the most striking visual contrast against the historic school architecture.
Allocate time to specifically view the fluorescent mineral display in the darkened exhibit room.
Check the museum's website for rotating temporary exhibitions that often feature local geological finds.
The building is fully wheelchair accessible, providing easy navigation through all gallery spaces.
Do not rush through the ground-floor galleries; the most detailed scientific specimens are often tucked into the smaller peripheral displays.
Open daily, but closed on Christmas Day.
