[B]UDDING dinosaur detectives delved into a prehistoric world of dinosaur bones at The Beacon Museum’s Dinofest.
Members of the Whitehaven harbourside museum’s Quantum Leap kids club had the chance create their very own cast of specimens which included a T-Rex tooth, and a Velociraptor killing claw.
The young detectives, led by expert dinosaur palaeontologists, were inspired to find out about what kind of plants and animals existed during the fossil’s time, where the fossils came from and how old they were.
Grace Savage, Quantum Leap group member, said: “This has definitely been one of the best Quantum sessions ever.
“We learned lots about fossils, dinosaurs and what palaeontologists do.
“We even came away with some real fossils, including dinosaur bones. Amazing!”
Matthew Savage, Quantum Leap group member, said: “I really enjoyed casting a dinosaur toe joint and the guessing game was great fun.”
Alan Gillon, Learning and Engagement Officer at The Beacon Museum, said: “Whitehaven is one of the only places in Britain where fossil plants from the Carboniferous period can be discovered and is famous worldwide for its well-preserved specimens, some of which can be seen on permanent display at the museum.
“The specimens on display are over 300 million years old and help us understand how the area around the West Coast of Cumbria has changed over time”
Mike Walley, Palaeontologist, added: “The aim of these practical sessions is to engage and involve young people with the fascinating subject of Earth Sciences.
“Many young children can obsess on dinosaurs and it is surprising how quickly they can learn the long, often complicated names of dinosaurs such as Tyrannnosaurus Rex and Triceratops.”
The Beacon Museum’s ‘Dinofest’ event was held on July 28 and 29 in support of the museum’s current feature exhibition ‘Brick Dinos,’ which features a range of dinosaurs created from thousands of LEGO ® bricks.
