This summer, Somerset’s Gauge Museum will transport families into the heart of a quirky dinosaur-themed performance inspired by one of history’s most famous fossil discoveries. On Saturday, June 21, visitors at Platform 1, Bishops Lydeard Station can experience The Iguanodon Restaurant, a vibrant and eccentric street theatre production by Dorset’s Emerald Ant arts company.
Set on New Year’s Eve in 1853, the show recreates an extraordinary dinner party inside a life-sized concrete cast of an Iguanodon, originally displayed in Crystal Palace Park. The performance features lively portrayals of pioneering 19th-century dinosaur hunters—William Buckland, Gideon Mantell, Mary Anning, and Richard Owen—as they humorously debate fossil discoveries and scientific theories. Audiences witness passionate discussions on whether dinosaurs were birds, fish, or ancient crocodiles, while reflecting on questions of extinction and evolution. Fully accessible and including British Sign Language interpretation, the show ensures everyone can enjoy this captivating journey through 50 years of paleontological discovery.
Beyond the stage, families can engage in drop-in workshops packed with creative activities like badge-making and explore the museum’s Railway Garden, where dinosaur-themed surprises await young explorers. This Dino Day event is part of a wider summer initiative across Dorset and Somerset designed to make science, art, and local heritage welcoming and inclusive for all visitors, including those with special educational needs.
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The Gauge Museum, operated by the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust, recently reopened in spring 2024 following extensive refurbishment. Offering free admission and staffed by passionate volunteers, the museum celebrates the rich railway heritage of the region while hosting innovative events like this dinosaur-themed extravaganza.