Dinosaur bones ‘adopted’ by Horsham schoolchildren

Dinosaur bones on show at Horsham Museum have been ‘adopted’ by a group of schoolchildren.
By Sarah Page
Published 5th Mar 2020, 12:00 BST
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The bones of the Horshamosaurus were found in a local clay quarry in the 1980s and were later identified as ‘significantly different’ to any other dinosaur.

Now pupils at Arunside Primary School can call them ‘theirs’ after taking part in an ‘Adopt an Artefact’ fundraising scheme launched in December by the Friends of Horsham Museum and Art Gallery.

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The bones are just one of a number of items ‘adopted’ by members of the public. Others include a pair of running shoes once worn by famed Slinfold-born athlete Alfred Shrub, a bust of Warnham-born poet Shelley, a suit of armour and a wall sign depicting ‘The Jolly Sausage’ which once hung outside a Horsham butcher’s shop.

A mummified cat at Horsham Museum SUS-200503-114130001A mummified cat at Horsham Museum SUS-200503-114130001
A mummified cat at Horsham Museum SUS-200503-114130001

Not proving quite so popular, according to Friends of Horsham Museum spokeswoman Pam French, is a comb used by the Acid Bath Murderer John Haigh who was held at Horsham Police Station after his arrest.

“Ten artefacts have been adopted so far,” said Pam, “but alternatives could be brought in if some are not popular.

“Most popular at the moment are the old shop signs, they sort of represent Horsham.”

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There are 30 exhibits available for people to adopt for a year at a price of £25 for adults and £10 for children. Among them is a mummified cat found in the wall of a local building; a painted wooden parrot made by a German prisoner of war during the second world war; a food chopper dating from around 1870; and an 1870 sewing machine.

One of sthe Horshamosaurus bonesOne of sthe Horshamosaurus bones
One of sthe Horshamosaurus bones

Anyone adopting an artefact receives an adoption certificate, their name in the gallery and a monthly email giving information of exhibitions and activities being held at the museum throughout the year.

The Friends of Horsham Museum say they want to ‘maintain a crucial cultural and historical centre for the present and future generations of Horsham and its district.’

Money raised from the scheme will help to finance museum projects such as the conservation of collections and starting new ones, as well as supporting the museum’s art zone.

Details of the artefacts available and the adoption process can be found on the mudeum’s website, see: https://www.horshammuseum.org/get-involved/friends/Adopt-an-artefact