Discover Future Fossils at Scarborough’s Rotunda museum as children tackle climate change

Future Fossils, part of the Yorkshire Fossil Festival, will take children behind the scenes at the Rotunda to join a squad of ground-breaking geologists, discover a secret space closed to the public and experience the museum as never before as they investigate how to protect the future environment of their town.

Visitors will be met by the chief investigator from the Future Fossils Federation, who will send them on their way to find the secret space. Once there, they will hear the voices of Scarborough’s young climate activists and be invited to to make their own pledge to combat climate change.

Simon Hedges, head of curation, collections and exhibitions, Simon Hedges, said: “Visitors to the experience will be invited to book on to one of three daily slots and visit a ‘research lab’, which looks at the current climate crisis in a vibrant and theatrical way.”

Sophie Drury-Bradey, Invisible Dust’s producer, said : “Local children are concerned about the world the will grow up in – but Future Fossils gives them the chance to inspire their community to take action against the climate crisis and imagine a more hopeful and fun future together.”

Future Fossils was created by Year 4 children from Scarborough’s St Peter’s RC Primary School in collaboration with Crescent Arts artists Janet White and Charlotte Salt and award-winning theatre maker Toby Peach.

It was commissioned by Invisible Dust for Scarborough Museums Trust with support from Arts Council England. Future Fossils is at the Rotunda museum on Saturday September 14 and Sunday September 15.

Each experience will last around 30 minutes, and slots are at 9.30am, 11am and 1.30pm. Places are limited, so advance booking is recommended here or 01723 353665.

Tickets are £1 per person, and the experience is aimed at six-to-12-year-olds, who must be accompanied by a parent or carer.

The museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays (plus Bank Holiday Mondays) from 10am to 5pm. Entry is free with an Annual Pass, which costs £3 and gives the bearer unlimited access to Scarborough Art Gallery, the Rotunda Museum and Woodend café gallery for a year.