Inspire Others with Your Fossil Display

You cannot help it—you have developed a fondness for fossils. You started innocently enough—a megalodon tooth here, an ammonite there—and now you have quite the collection. How can you incorporate them into your life in such a way as to share your joy and passion with others? There are three important things to consider in a fossil display: do you only want to enjoy your fossils at home? Or do you want to take your fabulous beauties on the road for show? Either way, you will want to create a fossil display that reflects your passion and pride in these magnificent pieces of natural history. And thirdly, possibly most important if you are considering transporting your collection, how big are your pieces, and how much do they weigh? 

Setting Up Your Home Fossil Display

Your home is perfect for setting up a fossil display for pieces of any size or weight. It is easy to use rock stands and place displays on existing furniture or shelves to showcase smaller pieces. If you already have appropriate furniture on hand, additional investment will not be needed to create great displays. You should take special care in choosing the furniture as some of today’s particleboard pieces will not hold up to the weight of larger pieces. Get creative with your fossil display! Use an aquarium to display your pieces in a protected and well-lit environment. A glass-top display coffee table can keep your treasures protected but still at the center of the conversation. 

Resourceful ways to display fossils include:

• Shelving units
• Hanging
• Jars
• Jewelry

A shelving unit of any size can house rocks of varying size and weight, keeping in mind heavier rocks should be on the bottom shelf or even displayed on the floor. Rock stands are a stylish manner of fossil display that keeps the rock from having contact with the shelf while allowing it to be presented at an interesting angle. Rock stands come in various sizes so that smaller rocks can be displayed throughout the fossil display. 

A hanging fossil display can be a beautiful, artful way to draw attention to your collection of smaller to mid-size fossils. Whether box–framed, wire-wrapped, or a rock stand fastened to the wall, hanging allows a creative and flexible alternative to fossil display. Of course, the weight of the piece should always be considered, and using the proper hardware fastened to a stud will ensure your fossil display will stay attached to the wall. You can display your more valuable small pieces in a shadowbox frame or a wall display case that is sure to be a conversation-starter.

When was the last time you used a mason jar for anything but canning? It is time to expand the function of these multi-talented containers and use them for displaying your smaller fossils and rocks! You can fill your jars with ammonites, shark teeth or even separate them by rocks of the same color. Different-sized jars filled with various fossils make for a stunning fossil display.

 Another way to display your beautiful fossils and rocks is with jewelry! Your smaller rocks and stones will make eye-catching conversation pieces easily made with simple wire jewelry kits. Bracelets, earrings, necklace pendants, and rings all create an easy way to display fossils in your collection and spread the enthusiasm for these pieces of natural history.

Setting Up Your Traveling Fossil Display

After perfecting your collection, it is natural to want to share and compare your fossil display with others who share your enthusiasm. Rock and Mineral Shows can be found across the country and are enjoyed by amateurs and enthusiasts alike. This is a wonderful opportunity to take your fossils on the road! There are a couple of ways to make traveling with your natural treasures, assuming they are of reasonable size and weight, a little bit easier, including acrylic display boxes and divider trays. 

Acrylic display boxes come in a variety of sizes and configurations. Some are large enough to fit a rock stand to enhance the fossil’s position on the display. Acrylic display boxes protect the fossil from air, moisture, and sunlight. They also protect the more fragile and valuable pieces in your collection from being touched or handled. 

Divider trays are a great way to keep your fossil inventory organized and easily transportable. While you can buy divider trays made specifically for organizing fossils and rocks, you can also re-purpose other sectioned containers meant for storage and organization. Drawer organizers and tea bag organizer boxes are easily found and make an attractive, portable storage solution for those trips to your favorite rock show. 

Rock Stands are Essential to All Displays

Whether you are displaying your fossils at home or creating a portable display for rock shows, rock stands are essential to showing your precious collection at its best. Rock stands come in a variety of sizes and materials, including:

• acrylic
• metal
• wood
• lighted

Creating your fossil display with rock stands, easels, and risers gives depth and dimension to the display and allows you to angle your rocks and fossils to catch the light, creating even more interest. Rock stands protect your fossil by keeping it from lying directly on a surface and risking damage if moved regularly.

As your collection of fossils and rocks grows, the excitement and enthusiasm to display them properly and share their beauty with others will grow as well. Should you use a rock stand or an acrylic box? Or perhaps a rock stand inside an acrylic box? You should consider all the options as you create a fossil display worthy of the magnificent pieces of history you have taken the time and energy to collect. Discussing your passion with experts is important for creative ideas and making sure you are displaying them properly. By sharing your passion for fossils, you will inspire others to collect these windows to history and create beautiful fossil displays of their own!