An 11-year-old fossil enthusiast, Anderson Taylor, has turned his passion into a museum in Cambridge, Ill. Taylor, who started collecting fossils at a young age, recently received a Guinness World Record for being the youngest male museum curator. His museum, dedicated to fossils and natural history, was established when he was just nine years and 340 days old.
Taylor’s fascination with dinosaurs began at the age of three when he found a crinoid fossil in his yard. Over the years, his collection grew through family trips, gifts, and discoveries with friends. With a collection that outgrew his home, Taylor decided to open a museum, which now houses around 1,000 artifacts, including Native American items, gemstones, minerals, fossils, taxidermy, and insects.
Supported by the community, Taylor operates tours and presentations for visitors, aiming to educate others about ancient life and dinosaurs. Looking ahead, he plans to expand the museum to accommodate his growing collection, possibly adding an apartment upstairs or moving to a larger building. Despite the museum’s success, Taylor dreams of acquiring a full dinosaur skeleton to enhance his collection further.