This spring, discover the world of the dinosaurs at Time and Tide Museum! Dinosaurium: Re-imagined Creatures explores how dinosaurs have gripped our imaginations since the discovery of the first fossils in the 19th century – from ancient legends of mythical winged beasts in the deserts of central Asia to the creatures brought to life in Jurassic Park to Norfolk’s very own snap dragon.
Ever since the first dinosaurs were identified there has been a desire to put flesh on the bones and a glint in the eye of these amazing animals.
Sometimes this journey from fossil to ‘flesh’ is a story of dedicated detective work – examining the fossil evidence to try to reconstruct what these amazing creatures looked like in real life – and sometimes it’s a flight of fancy!
This family friendly touring exhibition examines the fact and fiction of our obsession with dinosaurs and provides Norfolk Museums Service with an opportunity to showcase some of our natural history and geology collections which have never been on display before, alongside models and memorabilia.
These days, palaeontologists use fossil remains and sophisticated X-rays and CT scans to work out everything from the size of dinosaurs to their daily diet. In the early days of dinosaur study the evidence could be more difficult to interpret. Find out how some species like the iguanodon have gone through several different imaginings since it was first discovered in Sussex in 1822.
Fantastic fossils on display include an ichthyosaur from Dorset’s Jurassic coast, a megalodon tooth and a footprint of an Iguanodon while life-size replicas of a tarbosaurus skull (a close cousin of the T-Rex) and a protoceratops or ‘first horned face’ will bring visitors up close to these impressive beasts.
The world of film and popular culture has always been less concerned with accuracy and more with the fear factor of dinosaurs! Find out what the franchise’s terrifying velociraptors were actually like in real life. Visitors will be able to see replica posters and a reproduction of the iconic cane used by John Hammond (played by Richard Attenborough) from Jurassic Park which famously imagines bringing dinosaurs back to life by retrieving their DNA from mosquitos fossilised in amber.
Visitors can also learn about the animals that were around at the time of the dinosaurs and are still with us today with specimens on display such as the duck-billed platypus and the crocodile.
That we know about the dinosaurs at all is down to the passion and dedication of the fossil hunters and their collections. The exhibition explores some of the pioneers in the field, including amazing women like the pioneering Mary Anning the first person to discover the complete skeleton of a plesiosaurus, and Norfolk’s very own Anna Gurney.
Philanthropist, geologist and social reformer, Anna Gurney was a remarkable figure – thanks to extensive research work undertaken by Queer Norfolk, we’re able to spotlight her life in this exhibition.
A full events programme will accompany the exhibition, providing a summer of dinosaur delight for visitors.
