Fossils Fans Get the Chance to Get “Hands On” with Ammonite Activities

Visitors to the picturesque seaside resort of Lyme Regis, on southern England’s famous Jurassic coast, will get the chance to polish their own ammonite fossil, at special events organised by Lyme Regis Museum being held throughout the summer holidays.

Lyme Regis

Ammonites are an extinct group of cephalopod molluscs that lived in chambered shells.  Their fossils are associated with much of the strata that can be found along the famous World Heritage Site of the “Jurassic Coast”, for the chance to learn more about these amazing creatures and to polish your own ammonite fossil, see the poster below:

Ammonite Polishing Days Announced

Fancy being a palaeontologist, studying Ammonites?

Fancy being a palaeontologist, studying ammonites?

Picture credit: Lyme Regis Museum/Brandon Lennon/Everything Dinosaur

Ammonite Fossil Polishing

For a small fee, fossil enthusiasts and tourists can purchase their own ammonite fossil and prepare it just like a real palaeontologist.  Polishing the fossil reveals the amazing and very beautiful internal structure of the fossil.  The first fossil polishing event is taking place this weekend (Saturday July 20th).   The event starts at 11am and will run until 4pm that afternoon.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“These events give members of the public the opportunity to carry out their own fossil polishing and to learn about these extinct marine creatures that are so important to the science of palaeontology.”

Other dates are:

Saturday 3rd August, Wednesday 14th August and the final ammonite fossil polishing event this summer is scheduled for Tuesday 27th August, the day after the Bank Holiday.

A Replica of an Ammonite and a Polished Ammonite Fossil

The Bullyland ammonite model next to a polished section of an ammonite fossil.
The Bullyland ammonite model is often used in museum displays to depict the living animal next to fossil material. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everyting Dinosaur

To view replicas of prehistoric animals including the ammonite figure (whilst stocks last): Bullyland Prehistoric World Models and Figures.