The Museum opened its doors on December 28, 1990 in a modest house: an old furniture retail store of 700 square meters.

It worked only three people, the director, a paleontological technician and an administrative employee.

But the interest of scientists and neighbours make possible a sustained growth of the new museum. They had a great desire to stimulate and developed research in the region!

In the search for new resources that enable the achievement of this new objectives, in 1990, the Egidio Feruglio Foundation was born. The Foundation, together with the National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) and the Municipality of Trelew, constitute the institutional support of the MEF, with a non-government organization management.

Soon after, the Provincial Tourism Authority declares "Provincial Tourist Interest" the new museum and an agreement authorizing the MEF to develop prospecting, extraction, recovery and touristic value of the paleontological heritage of the Province of Chubut was signed.

Since then, the work of its researchers placed the MEF as a leader in the field of Paleontology in Patagonia. Also it achieves a sustained international recognition, shown in numerous research agreements with prestigious institutions, such as:

American Museum of Natural History, USA

Denver Museum of Nature and Science, USA

University of Kansas, USA

Monash Science Center of Melbourne, Australia

Museum of Natural Sciences, La Plata, Argentina

Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences, Buenos Aires, Argentina