Southampton Mineral and Fossil Society

Originally formed in 1971 with the inaugural evening meeting held in April of that year. Now, in 2024, SMFS will have been in existence for 53 years after celebrating our Golden Anniversary in 2021.

SMFS is one of the oldest amateur mineral and fossil societies in the UK. The aims of the Society are to foster interest and expertise in the collecting, conservation and identification of minerals and fossils and, where possible, preserve and document the sites where they are found. We are a friendly group of people sharing a common interest in collecting, preserving and studying geology, minerals and fossils. Find out more About SMFS and what we get up to throughout the year.

Display of minerals and fossils from our members collections. Please bring along any specimens you would like us to help identify.

We are a friendly group of people sharing a common interest in collecting and studying minerals and fossils. Throughout the year we hold both indoor meetings and field trips. New members are always welcome and we encourage families with young children to join and hold special sessions for beginners. We meet monthly, on the third Tuesday of the month, in Southampton where we have illustrated talks and activities relating to our hobby. Field trips are organised throughout the year, to various locations throughout the country, for the collection of minerals and fossils, visiting museums and special exhibitions and shows. Unfortunately there are restrictions on taking children into working quarries but there are many other sites where children can collect safely. All trips are properly organised with permissions granted where collecting is undertaken on private property. We also have long weekend visits to other parts of the country to collect at classic sites such as in Cornwall and Devon, Derbyshire and Weardale.