The new Cambridge Natural History Museum invites you to celebrate the youthful enthusiasm and scientific discovery for a grand opening on Saturday, August 10, 2024, from 10 AM to 2 PM. The museum is located at 132 W Center Street in Cambridge. The museum will feature collections of fossils, minerals, and Native American artifacts; all curated by a remarkable young Paleontologist. You will even be allowed to touch a REAL dinosaur fossil!
Anderson Taylor is nine years old and lives in Cambridge, he is very excited to see his dream come true to open a museum. “I want to teach other kids, as well as adults who aren’t able to go to museums in larger cities, about natural history and prehistoric life”, he says.
Anderson has been thinking about opening a museum for about two years. “Visiting the Staffin Dinosaur Museum in Scotland really inspired me to open my own museum. The owner of that museum started it when he was a teenager. It isn’t big or fancy like what most people think of when they think of inspiring museums, but it contains many important and exciting fossils and I really enjoyed talking to and learning from the owner, who discovered all of the pieces I was looking at”, says Anderson.
Already at nine years old, Anderson is a lifelong student of paleontology and has been collecting fossils for as long as he can remember. His study of fossils has taken him around the world, including Scotland. He traveled to the Isle of Skye in Scotland and the Morrison Formation in Colorado to observe evidence of ancient life. For a school project, Anderson portrayed Barnum Brown, the paleontologist who discovered the Tyrannosaurus Rex, and he has hosted several public presentations on prehistoric life in Illinois and beyond. Anderson and his brother, Miles, also host a podcast on local history, called “Tot Cast”.
Anderson says, “Opening the museum has been a lot of work and I would not be able to do this without help from family, friends, the community, and support from the Village of Cambridge. Much of what you see at the museum has been generously donated by friends, family, and strangers.”
Light refreshments will be provided at the grand opening and a special interactive dig activity for children will provide a fun and educational experience. Young visitors can participate in a mock excavation and take home a souvenir from their dig. Watch Anderson Taylor introduce his inspiring achievement here.