Dino Dig: Fossil Finders Workshop
Event information
Event type: Workshop
Location: Investigate Centre, Lower Ground Floor (Central Building)
Suitable for: Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11)
Capacity: 35 pupils and 5 adults
Duration: 45 minutes
Ticket prices: £3.50 per pupil
Booking required by phone
Can learning from the past help us protect the future?
Travel back in time to investigate this question with the help of Mary Anning and some fascinating fossil clues. In this interactive workshop, children will use a mixture of scientific skills and playful exploration to investigate 550 million years of Earth’s history.
Pupils will handle fossils, find out what they are, discover where we find them and explore how palaeontologists study them to uncover prehistoric life on Earth.
Workshop rundown
- Pupils learn about fossil formation.
- Pupils discover how the Museum’s collections are used by different scientists.
- Pupils are introduced to Mary Anning and her important scientific discoveries.
- Pupils examine real fossil specimens to develop their knowledge and identification skills.
- Pupils investigate mystery specimens and explore multi-sensory resources to learn about how the planet has changed over millions of years.
Further information
Curriculum links: Rocks, Evolution and inheritance
Note: The activity works best if you visit the Dinosaurs gallery after the workshop.
The children loved having the brushes and the element of discovery really grabbed their attention. I loved the multisensory aspects, such as the smells and the opportunity for them to touch real fossils was incredible.
I think it was great. It was a perfect balance of listening, doing and presenting and the children were absolutely engaged throughout.
Rachel Sawle
Year 3 teacher at West Lodge Primary School, Harrow
Workshop suitability and capacity
This workshop is for lower KS2 (ages 7-10).
The maximum capacity per workshop is 35 pupils. Bookings must be for a minimum of 15 pupils.
Workshop dates and times
The workshop runs at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30 and 13:30 on selected weekdays. The duration is 45 minutes.
All workshops must be prebooked by phone. To explore individual timeslots for days, please view the availability calendar linked below.
Please note any session must be booked at least three weeks in advance.
View calendar
To view all school sessions please open the availability calendar.
How to book
To confirm dates and times are available, and to make a booking, please read our essential information page, then phone the bookings team.
Related galleries and activities
Dinosaurs
The Museum's dinosaurs are world-famous. Meet the roaring T. rex, see the skull of a Triceratops and wander among fossils in the Dinosaurs gallery.
Earth Hall and Stegosaurus
Meet our incredible dinosaur specimen, the most intact Stegosaurus fossil skeleton ever found. At three metres tall and almost six metres long, it's a dramatic welcome to Earth Hall.
Fossils from Britain
Trace our fossil record through mud, silt, sand and time. See preserved shark teeth and spot the fossil fakes in the Fossils from Britain gallery.
