What should you do when you have the biggest poop collection fossilized in the world? Open a Poozeum (poo, in English, means poop), of course. At least, that’s how George Frandsen named his newly opened museum in Williams, Arizona (United States), which offers visitors free access to the approximately 8,000 pieces that make up its collection of coprolites, better known as poop fossilized.
“Initially, many people react with an ‘yuck’ expression or laughter when they hear about Poozeum. However, after viewing the collection, their reactions often change to shock at the diverse and intriguing nature of the coprolites,” Frandsen told Guinness World Records.
“Given that most people have little or no experience with coprolites, it’s fun to introduce them to this fascinating world and share the wonders they hold.”
Frandsen has always been fascinated by dinosaurs and fossils, and that interest extended to fossilized poop when he first saw one at age 18 during a visit to a store in Utah.
“I instantly found it both hilarious and fascinating,” he said. “This sparked my curiosity, leading me to learn everything I could about coprolites. I soon realized that these peculiar prehistoric ‘time capsules’ offer information about the diets, behaviors and environments of ancient creatures.”
He initially founded the museum as an online resource center in 2014 and created a traveling exhibit of fossilized poop to be displayed in museums across the United States when he realized they were often not displayed in conventional places.
“The enthusiastic response from visitors to these temporary exhibitions highlighted the demand for a dedicated space where coprolites could be prominently displayed and their scientific significance explored in depth,” added Frandsen.
So he quit his job at a large healthcare company, sold his house, moved 2,000 miles to Williams — known as the gateway to the Grand Canyon — and pursued his “crazy” idea of opening a Poozeum, he said. .
There, visitors can see pieces such as the largest fossilized poop of a carnivorous animal, which measures 67.5 centimeters by 15.7 centimeters and probably came from a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The collection also features several coprolites with teeth inside or bite marks on their surface.
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