Ask a Geologist with Dippy the Dinosaur and Friends - 31/05/2025 | Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group (WGCG)

Report by Gareth Jenkins

Back in December 2024 Gareth approached the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry about doing an event to celebrate Geo Week 2025 GeoWeek – Earth Science. This was following the ongoing success of WGCGs ‘Ask a Geologist’ event at Market Hall Museum in Warwick. Following discussions with the museum a date of the 31^st May 2025 was set to mark this week. You can read more about the Warwick event in Geoconservation Research: View of ‘Ask a Geologist’ at Market Hall Museum, Warwick | Geoconservation Research

The event at the Herbert ran from 10am to 4pm which is much longer than what had been done before at Warwick. As such, two teams of volunteers were recruited to cover and morning and afternoon shift. Peter and Gareth attended for the entire time to provide support throughout the day.

*The team at hand over: Marketa Kicmerova, Jill Mayes, Brian Ellis, Gareth Jenkins, Peter Hawksworth, Joe Mazgajczyk*

The team set up shop opposite the Jurassic Seas exhibition Warwickshire’s Jurassic Sea – The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum and under the tail of the iconic Dippy the Dinosaur Dippy in Coventry: The Nation’s Favourite Dinosaur – The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum. Surely nowhere better could be better placed for a team ready to talk about geology.

Ask a Geologist allows the public to discuss geology in our everyday lives, geological careers, and geological science in general. We always have rocks, minerals and fossils on hand which the public can view and discuss. Additionally, a number of posters, geological references and free brochures of nearby geology trails are made available. A wifi microscope allowed the specimens to be viewed on a tablet screen.

*Brian demonstrates the properties of magnetite to an Australian family*

And what a great day it was! From the moment the doors to the museum opened a steady stream of people who already had an interest in things geological. The day coincided with the beginning of a new exhibition Brick Dinos Brick Dinos – The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum and there some life size dinosaurs roaming the space next to the WGCG team.

*Anna an ankylosaurus comes to say hello to the team*

*Gareth and Peter watch on as Ralph the Raptor strolls past*

*Joe and Marketa take time to get know new friend Bruce*

*Gareth and family take a closer look at an ichthyosaur skull belonging to Finn*

*Jill demonstrates the wifi microscope on a shelly limestone.*

It was a great pleasure to be part of a wonderful day with the museum. Everyone enjoyed themselves and the museum have invited WGCG back in October 2025.

If you’re interested in volunteering for exciting events like this and others then please get in touch at [email protected] and keep an eye on our website and mailing list.