Mary Anning's maquette comes to Hastings

A maquette of Mary Anning (1799 - 1847), a pioneering palaeontologist and fossil collector, will be on display at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery from Monday 6 November 2023 until Saturday 6 January 2024.

The maquette was made by sculptor Denise Dutton, who also created a full-size statue of Mary Anning. The statue is on display in Mary's hometown of Lyme Regis, giving visitors a physical reminder of this remarkable woman who made such significant discoveries.

These discoveries include the first Ichthyosaur, which she found in 1811 alongside her brother. A 195-million-year-old marine reptile so well preserved that fish bones and scales from its last meal can still be seen inside its ribcage. And in 1823, the first ever Plesiosaur skeleton, another marine reptile, approximately 190-million-years-old. 

ExploreTheArch's exhibition Fossil Finder in Us All coincides with the arrival of the maquette. Fossil Finder in Us All invites visitors to the museum to explore their relationship with natural history and winter beachcombing for fossils.

Cllr Andy Batsford, lead for Culture at Hastings Borough Council, said:

"This is a great opportunity to visit Hastings Museum's latest exhibition and learn more about Mary Anning, one of the most influential women in the history of paleontology. Mary's discoveries have provided evidence that has been central to the development of new ideas about the history of our planet.

"Entry to the museum is free, and this exhibition is suitable for all ages. Find out more about the Mary Anning Rocks tour at www.hmag.org.uk."