Aurora Fossil Museum

A visit to the Aurora Fossil Museum not only teaches you about the North Carolina coast's natural history, it also gives you the chance to dig up your own fossils. The nonprofit organization near the coastal town of New Bern has made a mission of engaging people to learn about the state's coastline through its unique exhibits and annual Fossil Festival. Bring a garden trowel or sifter and spend the afternoon digging in the museum's fossil-rich soils, an area affectionately known as the Pits of the Pungo in the Fossil Park. You could uncover anything from the remains of corals and shells to ancient sharks and whales. When you're done, take a trip to the mine room to see the geological formations beneath the town of Aurora, and make a stop by the gift shop to bring a piece of buried history back home.