A variety of fossils are displayed at the Shiyuzhe Paleontology Fossil Museum in Huzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

The Shiyuzhe Paleontology Fossil Museum, Huzhou's first public fossil exhibition space, opened this month at the Yi Art Gallery in Wuxing district, Huzhou, Zhejiang province.

Covering more than 100 square meters, the museum displays fossils from the Jehol Biota, including fish, plants, and insects dating back 176 million to 66 million years ago.

The Jehol Biota, mainly found in areas of present-day Liaoning province, Hebei province, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, is renowned as one of the world's richest fossil deposits for its well-preserved plants and animals from the late Mesozoic era.

The fossils on display were collected by curator Yang Jianfeng over more than a decade.

Yang, who studied petroleum geology at university and later worked in geological exploration before entering the auto industry, has maintained his interest in paleontology.

Unlike traditional exhibitions with glass barriers, the museum allows visitors to closely observe some specimens and touch their natural surfaces.

The museum combines scientific education with interactive displays, featuring information panels and a popular science film produced by the School of Intermedia Art of China Academy of Art. It aims to make geological knowledge more accessible and allow visitors to experience traces of life preserved through hundreds of millions of years.