PORTLAND – A new fossil museum inside Portland High School opened its doors Wednesday evening.

The Rosenthal Museum of Natural History’s exhibits include ammonoids, dinosaur fossils and alligator jaws.  

Portland High School dedicated the museum to Sam Rosenthal, a former student and fossil collector of 25 years.

“This is an opportunity to impact our current students but also many generations of our future students,” said Eric Begonia, Portland High School science teacher.

Rosenthal said the idea came as he was trying to figure out what to do with his fossil collection, eventually settling on putting them in a public place. 

“I talked to Mr. Begonia about this, and I can tell the second I mentioned it to him, he was hooked,” said Rosenthal.

Together, the two worked for over five years in building the museum.

Rosenthal said has collected 250 fossils from across the U.S.

Rosenthal said he’s happy the museum is making kids curious and wanting to learn more about science and natural history.

“This is stimulating the next generation to have an interest in science,” said Rosenthal. “If dinosaurs are the hook to get them in, then so be it.”