Membership

The North Carolina Fossil Club offers both Individual and Household memberships. Benefits of membership include:

  • Access to the member's only section of the website
  • Access to current and past issues of JANUS online
  • Voting privileges in Club business matters
  • Eligibility to go on Club sponsored Field Trips with signed waiver as available.

Individual or Household memberships are available for those individuals age 18 and older. Individual memberships include one primary member age 18 and older. Household memberships include one primary member age 18 and older and a secondary member living in the same home that is age 18 or older. Minor children in the same home may accompany the primary or secondary member on NC Fossil Club activities where permitted.

The North Carolina Fossil Club is a non-profit club that was formed in 1977 and has grown over the years to over 300 members. The club goes on several trips each year to various locations ranging from Maryland to South Carolina, and has gone on more far-ranging trips to Pennsylvania, New York, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Colorado, Utah, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio. Children are welcome on some trips.

Meetings

The NCFC has general club meetings at 1:30PM on the third Sunday of January, March, May, July and September usually at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. Each meeting includes a guest speaker or other fossil related program, a general business meeting and a "show and tell" period. Guests are welcome. Check the calendar for additional meeting information.

Learning

People with all degrees of knowledge about fossils are welcome in the club. Most members learn by watching others, studying other's "finds", reading fossil books or just asking questions. Six fossil books written by fossil club members are available for purchase at most meetings. Fossil fairs are also good places to learn.

Collecting Trips

Members are offered the opportunity to attend various collecting trips and outings throughout the year. Space is typically limited on club sponsored trips and sign-ups are first come/first serve via email.  Trips require a signed liability release and the agreement to the NC Fossil Club's CODE OF CONDUCT.

Fossil Fairs

Fossil club members participate in a number of fossil fairs each year. The NC Fossil Festival is held each spring in Aurora, NC (Memorial Day weekend). The NC Fossil Fair is held in November at various venues across the state. During these fairs, members show their own collections and participants may bring their fossils for identification by visiting paleontologists from the Smithsonian Institution and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. There are several different lectures and/or demonstrations during the fairs for everyone's enjoyment and education.

Join

Membership in the North Carolina Fossil Club is on a calendar year basis starting in January. New memberships paid January through October apply to the current calendar year only, and must be renewed for the following year. Members who join in November and December are automatically extended until the end of the next calendar year. Members who attend NC Fossil Club sponsored collecting events must be a current member and abide by the Club's Code of Conduct.

Annual NCFC Membership Dues

Membership Type New Renewal
Individual $20.00 $15.00
Household $25.00 $20.00

**NOTE: If you send in a paper membership form, there may be some delay in processing.  We recommend that if you are interested in joining, that you consider joining through the Club's online store. **

Memberships can be purchased or renewed from the Online Store or by downloading and completing a 2024 Membership Form and mailing it with payment to the address shown on the form. Make all checks payable to NC Fossil Club. If you join or renew online, you may pay by credit card or PayPal and you will need to complete your application by completing an online member application or submitting a completed membership form via US Mail or email after your purchase. You may also request a membership form by writing to the following address. If you have any questions about membership, please send an email to membership@ncfossilclub.org.

North Carolina Fossil Club
P.O. Box 25276
Raleigh, NC 27611-5276