In 2023 we live in an age of great scientific progress and know much about our natural world.

We should never forget those who spent their lives working on the discoveries that are now common knowledge.

Fossils are a good example of something that has been demystified and understood by science.

Palaeontologists study fossils and use that information to interpret how species lived millions of years ago.

We now understand that fossils are preserved traces of flora and fauna that died long ago.

They are not the organism itself, but a stone representation of its form. Most organisms decompose when they die, but occasionally an organism is quickly covered and encased with sediment so that it remains intact.

Flesh and soft tissue are lost, but harder parts of the structure such as bones and teeth are slowly replaced by minerals over tens of thousands of years. When they are unearthed, they appear as stone replicas of the original creature, or at least parts of it.

Palaeontology offers up the true identity of long-extinct creatures and helps plot environmental change.

Mary Anning was a pioneer of palaeontology. Born in 1799 on the fossil-rich Dorset coast, Mary was a lifelong beachcomber, looking for traces of a long-lost past.

Mary’s most famous find was the Ichthyosaur”, acknowledged as an extinct species. She also discovered the marine Plesiosaurus and the first winged Pterosaur found in England.

Mary remained an outsider to the male-dominated scientific community to which she had contributed so much.

She died at only 47, a true pioneer and giant in the world of palaeontology. Her finds and contributions have now been rightly attributed to her and are displayed in museums around the world, inspiring a new generation of scientists.

Worcester’s own Natural History Collection dates back to the early 1830s.

The featured picture includes the fossilised fish Dapedium politum, Ichthyosaur remains and a large Jurassic ammonite much like those found on the Dorset coast.

Over half term Saturday, February 18 to Saturday, February 25 fascinating fossils are taking centre stage at Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum.

Step into Mary Anning’s shoes and follow a trail around the museum, before getting hands-on with amazing ammonite and dinosaur craft activities.

On Monday, February 20 and Friday, February 24, visitors can meet Mary Anning and learn about her remarkable life and the fossils she unearthed – including ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs – in an interactive family morning.

For more information on the activities or to book to meet Mary Anning please visit www.museumsworcestershire.org.uk