Close encounters with dinosaurs at Hastings Museum

This amazing sight was the stage for Emerald Ant’s outdoor family theatre performance, “The Iguanodon Restaurant”.

They told the stories of the earliest fossil hunters, their discoveries and rivalries, inspired by an actual banquet that took place in London in 1853 inside the concrete mould of an Iguanodon.

It proved to be a highly visual, funny and peculiar, fast moving historical romp.

Deputy leader of Hastings Borough Council and council lead for regeneration and culture, Councillor Kim Forward said: “This was a spectacular end to a very busy and popular summer programme for families and young people at the museum, which also included weekly storytelling with Kevin Graal and art workshops with Riz Maslen and Ed Boxall.

“As always, these events and admission to the museum are all free.

“The Museum and Art Gallery has something to offer everyone with historic collections, architecture, local history, children’s activities and visual art, but these summer activities are really something special.”

The Iguanodon is Hastings’ local dinosaur and the Museum has an important collection of fossil specimens.

The show inspired audiences in their geological landscape, fossils and local history, and inside the museum, visitors also got the chance to handle real fossils and make some fun things to take home as a souvenir.

For more on the museum visit www.hmag.org.uk.