Fossil Discovery Exhibit — Local services in Manuel Benavides

The architecture of this exhibit is outstanding. Tucked away off the highway, it's rust colored roof and slotted side panels blend in to the beautiful desert surrounding in. It's a great quick stop on your way in or out of Big Bend National park. You'll learn about different periods and how those shaped the Rio Grande Valley. The site is actually a replacement of an old viewing building built on site of some very important fossil discoveries. Unfortunately, the original structure and museum were closed after someone attempted to steal the fossils. What you'll see at the new exhibit today are all casts.

Besides the museum and history, there is a small picnic area...

It was okay.This was set up pretty cool with walk-ways through the desert, covered areas, and steps climbing up to an overlook. My biggest complaint has nothing to do with the exhibit itself but with a family there who wasn't watching their kids at all and the little girl climbed over the edge of the lookout and was hiding on a little cliff. All that family's kids were darting out in front of people on the steps and walkways, yelling, running into people, etc... and the parents did nothing. Made the whole thing rather unpleasant and we just went back to our car rather than...

What a pleasant surprise! This small outdoor exhibit is packed with fascinating facts, artistic representations, and cast models. In a totally non-stuffy, non-pedantic way, the exhibit unfolds the most current facts and theories about the geologic & anthropologic past of the Big Bend area. Arrive before sunset, as the exhibit - though open 24/7 - is not lighted. Allow 45 minutes if you want to actually read the signs (and you should; it's quite well done), then walk up to the viewing area for the sunset. Because it was July and quite hot, we had the entire place to...