#027 March 2018 Dorset County Museum Volunteer Newsletter With effect from 1st January 2018, tickets must be booked for all lectures. DNHAS members £3.00, non -members £5. You can book on line or at the front desk.
Friday 2nd March Archaeology Unearthed Verging on the Atlantic 7.00pm for 7.30pm Dr Catriona Gibson
Welcome to Issue No.27 of DCMVOX… Items for the “My Favourite Object” or any other suggestions are welcome for the next and subsequent issues of DCMVOX. E-mail offerings to Anna on secretary@dorsetcountymuseum.org My Favourite Object — Aptyxiella portlandica
Thursday 8th March Literary Lives 7.00pm for 7.30pm Hardy’s Schoolrooms Jonathan Godshaw Memel Wednesday 14th March Geology Revealed 6.30pm for 7.00pm The Science of Palaeo-art Dr Mark Witton
Main Exhibition: 10th February to 7th May
Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure
This specimen doesn’t perhaps have the ‘wow’ factor of some of our larger fossils, but is nevertheless one of the highlights of our collection, with impeccable Dorset links. As its name implies, Aptyxiella portlandica [sometimes called the ‘Portland screw’] is widespread within the Portland Roach stone beds, but as they are such a hard stone extracting fossils from them is difficult, and it is very rare to see specimens of this quality. The Roach is the youngest of the Portland Limestone rocks, and at about 150 million years old is the youngest marine Jurassic rock in Dorset. Our specimen was acquired as part of the Damon Collection, which the Society purchased in 1889. It can be seen as part of the "Turned to Stone" section of the Jurassic Coast gallery. The specimen shows the high spired snail Aptyxiella portlandica, another type of snail, and shells of the bivalve Myophorella. The insides of the shells have been filled with sediment to produce internal casts. The gaps are holes where the shells have been dissolved. This particular image is one of nearly 500 DNH&AS specimens shown on the Jurassic Coast Fossil Finder web site. In the case of G.06226 the Fossil Finder web site also gives access to a 3D scanned image of the specimen. Paul Tomlinson
Supported by ….
Naturally Curious Check out the website for information on the artists. http:// www.dorsetcountymuseum.org/ dcm/events/list/258/naturallycurious/
Don’t Forget—The Posh Partridge—10% off We are delighted to let you know that all volunteers at Dorset County Museum are eligible for 10% off their lunch at the Posh Partridge—29 High East Street, Dorchester. This offer is available during the Dippy on Tour Exhibition. Please show your DCM ID card/badge at the till. The Posh Partridge is a family run café offering home-cooked breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea using high quality local produce.
Tea Room Colin Bentley The Jurassic Coast
For all the latest updates and news, please visit www.tomorrowsmuseumfordorset.org and sign up to the e-newsletter for the latest developments. Dorset County Museum, High West Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1XA Tel: 01305 262735 - www.dorsetcountymuseum.org
We love this place because it tells you a lot about dinosaurs. Visitor Quote of the Month:
Reminder Would you please remember to wear your ID badge/lanyard at all times whilst volunteering at the Museum. Please accept my apologies for the delay in providing lanyards for existing volunteers. Dippy has rather taken over everyone’s lives at the moment! If you have not got a lanyard, please e-mail: secretary@dorsetcountymuseum.org and I will make sure you have one.
Dippy on Tour – Volunteers The Dippy on Tour exhibition opened on Saturday 10th February and it is only right that a special thank you to all our very special Dippy Volunteers is included in this edition of DCMVOX. Everyone has been working incredibly hard to ensure that each and every visitor to the Dippy exhibition – and indeed the rest of the museum – has a wonderful experience. There are some specific volunteers who have gone above and beyond for which we are extremely grateful. The half term holiday saw record numbers moving through with unprecedented shops and tea room sales. Schools are now visiting either as self-guided visits, or taking advantage of the premium service offered by the Education team. Hugh thanks must also be recorded to the staff who have worked so hard over the last few weeks to ensure that everything is running as smoothly as possible given the number of visitors we have welcomed. Image of the Month The digitisation team wanted to share some of the amazing images they are currently working on. If we’re lucky, there will be more in future editions of DCMVOX
Postmark Easton, I. of Portland 7.15 p.m. Ap 24 1907 Prisoners leaving the Verne. The Digitisation team are steeped in Portland photographs and working our way towards completing the fourth box of Portland images. This is from Box 3.