Exhibition:The Fossil Swamp
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Far back in time… before humans... before dinosaurs... there was a different world.
This new exhibition reveals a snapshot in time from 300 million years ago - when a vast tropical swamp covered what is now Wales. The Fossil Swamp had monster plants, giant insects, thunderstorms and floods.
Beautifully preserved fossils tell us about these ancient tropical wetlands. Come and see the remains of strange plants which lived millions of years before flowers and fruits ever evolved. The prehistoric animals were also very different to those living today. What strange creatures will you find lurking in the swamp?
Some of the fossils on display, including the huge 3D centrepiece Stigmaria, come from the world-class heritage site at Brymbo in north east Wales. The Brymbo fossils reveal exactly how some of these giant plants grew. It’s rare to find these remains preserved in 3D at such size because most plant fossils from other sites come from broken pieces of plants that drifted through the swamp’s waterways.
You can also learn about the experts who figured out how these prehistoric plants lived. Finally we show how the story of the fossil swamp links to the fossil fuel and climate problems we face today.
Events supporting this exhibition:
The exhibition is brought to you in collaboration with the Brymbo Heritage Trust (www.brymboheritage.co.uk), Wrexham County Borough Museum, Brymbo Developments Ltd., JPDS Creative Ltd., & Heiko Achilles of phoenixgrafik.de.
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Plan your visit
Opening Hours
From Tuesday 5 November until 28 February 2025, we will be open 10am – 4pm.
Galleries close at 3.45pm.
Open for 6 days a week Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Mondays but open Bank Holiday Monday.
Christmas and New Year: Closed 23 - 26 December and 1 January.
Parking
A Visitor Car Park is situated behind the Museum, off Museum Avenue. Visitors parking here will receive a ticket at the point of entry and need to pay £6.50 for the day at a pay-station located at the rear of the car park. Please note that the pay-stations only accept card payments – no cash payments are accepted. Visitors can use any credit/debit cards (except for American Express), or Apple or Android Pay.
Parking is free to blue badge holders. Please use the intercom at the exit barrier to verify your blue badge permit. Disabled parking is also available at the front of the Museum, on Gorsedd Gardens Road.
Visting by public transport, bike or foot?
You can plan your journey using the Traveline Cymru website or by calling their helpline on 0800 464 0000.
Eat, Drink, Shopping
- The Museum café in the Main Hall is open every day 10am-4pm offering a range of drinks and snacks.
- The restaurant is open weekends and bank holidays at 11am-3pm.
Accessibility
If you prefer to visit when we’re less crowded, there are usually fewer people on our site from 3pm each day.
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