World’s most prolific fossilised poo collector is now showing it off in a museum
A man who has the largest collection of fossilised poo in the world has opened up a museum dedicated to showing it off.
George Frandsen’s poo collection is so massive he holds the Guinness World Record for it.
The museum in Williams, Arizona, is appropriately named Poozeum, and George says he was motivated to open it by the ‘glaring absence of coprolite [fossilised poop] representation’ in museums.
He spent 14 years working at a healthcare company before taking a very different path and embracing his love for poo.
Poozeum was previously a virtual resource centre since it was founded in 2014 but now people can get up and personal with the poo since it opened last month.
George, 45, saw a coprolite for the first time when he was aged 18 during a visit to a rock and fossil shop in Utah and has not looked back since.
Fast forward a few decades and he now owns the largest copralite from a carnivore – a specimen called ‘Barnum’ that measures 2ft 2in long.
He said in an interview with Guinness World Records: ‘Instantly, I found it both hilarious and fascinating.
‘This sparked my curiosity, leading me to learn everything I could about coprolites. I soon realized that these peculiar prehistoric ‘time capsules’ offer direct insights into the diets, behaviours, and environments of ancient creatures.
‘This realization fuelled my desire to acquire more coprolites, whether by finding them myself or purchasing them, in order to further explore and expand my understanding of prehistoric life.
‘Initially, many people react with a ‘yuck’ face or laughter when they first hear about the Poozeum. However, after witnessing the collection, their reactions often shift to shock at the diverse and intriguing nature of coprolites.
‘Given that most people have little to no experience with coprolites, it’s enjoyable to introduce them to this fascinating world and share the wonders they hold.’
George has held his record since 2015 when his official poo count was 1,277.
But almost a decade on this has reached a staggering 8,000 pieces, that also include dinosaur coprolites.
He said that opening the Poozeum has allowed ‘his vision to come to life’.
Going forward, George said: ‘Instead of focusing on the quantity of coprolites in my collection, I now concentrate on finding the most incredible pieces in the world.
‘I would like to emphasise that our museum is open to everyone every day, free of charge. We believe that financial constraints should never hinder anyone from experiencing the wonders within our exhibits.’
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