Evolving Shropshire: new exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery

Shropshire has some the most varied geology in the world. A new exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery – Evolving Shropshire – invites you to experience millions of years of the Shropshire landscape.

Rocks representing millions of years of time and fossils indicating the many different environments Shropshire has experienced, from vast deserts and swampy forests to tropical seas and freezing Ice Ages, are brought to life.

Evolving Shropshire tells the fascinating story of the collections, collectors, evolution and discoveries associated with the diverse geology of the county.

Mammoths

The exhibition also displays the recent work of the Fossils in Shropshire project to digitise and improve public access to the specimens held in the Shropshire Museums collection.

Lezley Picton, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture, leisure, communications and waste, said:

“The Shropshire we know and love today is one of the most beautiful counties in the UK, but our geology shows us that the area has seen many different climates, each giving new and fascinating stories.

“Evolving Shropshire gives us the opportunity to experience these different environments through Shropshire Museums’ collections and the brilliant work of the Fossils in Shropshire project.

“I’m looking forward to visiting Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery to see the exhibition and would encourage everyone else to also.”

Lottie James, Friends of Ludlow Museum, said

“This exhibition will show how the astonishing collection of fossils in the Museum has been brought to the attention of the whole world by the marvellous FISH digitisation project, funded by a grant from the Libor Fund and administered by the Friends of Ludlow Museum. It is truly spectacular and would not have been possible without the involvement of a large and dedicated group of local volunteers.”

Evolving Shropshire was created in partnership with the Fossils in Shropshire project and is open from Friday 14 February 2020 to 31 May 2020.

Easter holiday fun

Exciting events will also be held during the Easter school holidays that will trigger the curiosity and imagination of younger minds.

Drop-in Fossil Painting will be running from 11am–3pm every day during the school holidays.

Meet Mary Anning, a pioneering palaeontologist and fossil collector and find out about her fascinating life and amazing discoveries in an interactive story session. These sessions will run on Wednesday 8 April 2020 and Thursday 16 April 2020 11.30am-12.15pm.

Finally, meet Charles Darwin on Saturday 11 April 2020 and Wednesday 15 April 2020 11.30am-12.15pm and hear the exciting story of his adventures on The Beagle and how he arrived at his world changing theory.

More information can be found at www.shrewsburymuseum.org.uk.

Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery is owned and managed by Shropshire Council.