Karoo Origins Fossil Centre Showcases World's Largest Display of Unique Prehistoric Species
A major niche tourism attraction has opened in Graaff-Reinet, South Africa, with the launch of the Karoo Origins Fossil Centre, home to the world’s largest public display of fossil holotypes—specimens representing species that have never been found elsewhere. The collection, led by renowned palaeontologist Professor Bruce Rubidge, includes 107 holotypes and captures a critical window into life 260–250 million years ago, when therapsid mammal-like reptiles roamed the land during the time of the supercontinent Gondwana. Housed in a purpose-built facility, the fossils originate from the Rubidge family's private collection, historically based on their Wellwood farm near Nieu Bethesda.
The new centre offers significant potential for palaeotourism and educational travel, drawing in fossil enthusiasts, students, and researchers from across the globe. Beyond its museum-grade displays, it doubles as a working hub for ongoing international research on the Karoo Supergroup rock formations—one of the world's richest fossil-bearing deposits. With immersive exhibitions, life-size prehistoric recreations, and stories of pioneering fossil hunters like Sidney Rubidge and James Kitching, the centre delivers a unique visitor experience rooted in scientific heritage. It also positions the Karoo as a scientific and tourism frontier for learning about mass extinctions and the early evolution of vertebrate life.
Source: Daily Maverick