Mammoth exhibition could be prelude to celebration of steppe Mammoths in Ilford!

Wilson's children drew images of a mammoth similar to ancient cave paintings.

Wilson Chowdhry and his family were one of only 190 guests invited to the launch of the Natural History Museum's Mammoth Exhibition.  The key attraction at the exhibition is the actual body of Lyubia a baby mammoth that was excavated in Russia.  Lyubia is the most complete mammoth ever uncovered and is on loan for the length of the exhibition, which ends 7th September 2014.  

Their VIP invite entitled them to a reception that included Ice Cream with Mammoth wafers, Naomi Chowdhry (6) said;

"The big mammoths were scary and I kept thinking they would come to life, but the ice cream was very tasty"

Hannah Chowdhry said;

"I felt very excited going into the museum late at night.  I have never seen the museum so empty, parts were creepy.  The Mammoth Exhibition was very exciting, the baby mammoth was very cute, I wish they were still alive today."

Wilson Chowdhry said;

It was a privilege to be invited to this wonderful Mammoth Exhibition launch.  Having seen the exhibits and the interactive displays, I would recommend the exhibition to all Redbridge residents as there is something for everyone.

He added;

Ilford is steeped in Mammoth history, and excavations here led to discovery of the only complete mammoth skull ever found in the UK."  

The East Ilford Betterment Partnership are working on a project with the NHM and Redbridge Museum, that could eventually lead to the installation of a replica of the complete mammoth skull found in Ilford.  The EIBP also hope to hold a mammoth celebration in Ilford Town Centre to commemorate 150 years since Sir Antonio Brady excavated mammoth remains locally.

Dates and times: Opens 23 May to 7 September 2014, 10.00–17.50 (last admission 17.15)

Visitor enquiries: 020 7942 5000

Admission: Adult £10*, child and concession £6*, family £28*

Adult £9, child and concession £5.40, family £25

Free for Members, Patrons and children under four

Nearest tube: South Kensington

Website: www.nhm.ac.uk/mammoths

A full press release regarding the Mammoth Exhibition at the Natural History Museum can be found at the end of the post (after images)

Supervised by capable NHM Staff  Hannah and Naomi learnt how to use their hands to create the mammoth shapes.

Young children were given clear instructions on how to use this ancient form of art.

Mammoth images allowed children to compare their artwork with the actual shape of mammoths.

Children were taught about scale and size.

A very popular activity that children instantly migrated towards.

The mammoth models helped children to conceptualise their art.

Attentive to the very end.

An illustration of the use of tusks in battle and their purpose in attracting mates, fascinated children (we think they just adored the toys!).

Mammoth wafers in ice cream were a special treat.

Yum!

Even the adults could not resist!

Mummy I found a mammoth!

A wonderful evening in the museum was filled with surprises!

Palaeontologists allowed children to hold bones of ancient mammals, the most of which were derived from the UK

Screens displayed the history of mammoths in moving images.

Mammoth teeth were on display and illustrated the huge size of the mouths of these prehistoric beasts.

Teeth from an ancient predecessor to contemporary sloth illustrated its huge size.

A replica skeleton is one of the oldest exhibits in the Natural History Museum.

Wilson could not resist a picture.

Moving images illustrated the evolution of mammoths to elephants.

Replica tusks and mammoths filled the exhibition.

 

No Leah, it is not a removable toy!

Told ya!

Images of elephants contextualised the evolution of mammoths to elephants.

Replica mammoth poo brought out some giggles amongst children.

The displays were extremely eye-catching and informative without being over-written.

Wow this feels like real mammoth fur!

Mummy I want a baby mammoth.

Images caught the eyes of all visitors!

I can see the eyes!

Err?  My nose is not that big?

I like the baby!

Wow is this how people lived? 

The mammoths are coming! Mammoths: Ice Age Giants opens May 2014

Enter the amazing world of some of the largest creatures to have ever walked the earth in Mammoths: Ice Age Giants at the Natural History Museum. Be awestruck as huge fossils and life-size models of mammoths tower above you and come face to face with the powerful trunks and tusks belonging to these great beasts.

You’ll even be able to try out life as a mammoth: tusk jousting, trunk moving and feeling the weight of the hundreds of kilos of food a mammoth ate each day, equivalent to 230 bags of sugar.

The exhibition will take you on an inspiring journey from the time when these titans roamed the land through to today’s research into the causes of mammoth extinction and ways to protect their precious modern relative, the elephant. Meet some of the best-known species, from the infamous woolly mammoth and the spiral-tusked Columbian mammoth to their island-dwelling relative the dwarf mammoth. Discover prehistoric giants such as the mastodon, the fearsome sabre-tooth cat and the giant cave bear. Find out how they evolved, uncover their environment and behaviour, and consider how they finally went extinct.

Professor Adrian Lister, mammoths researcher at the Natural History Museum says, ‘This exhibition is very exciting as these amazing creatures were not only giants of the Ice Age, but the science behind their incredible lives is still relevant to the natural world today. This exhibition promises a rare glimpse into the Ice Age world of mammoths and their relatives through life-sized models, original skeletons and the latest science.’

Dates and times: Opens 23 May to 7 September 2014, 10.00–17.50 (last admission 17.15)

Visitor enquiries: 020 7942 5000

Admission: Adult £10*, child and concession £6*, family £28*

Adult £9, child and concession £5.40, family £25

Free for Members, Patrons and children under four

Nearest tube: South Kensington

Website: www.nhm.ac.uk/mammoths

* A voluntary donation is included in our admission ticket prices. If you are a UK taxpayer and pay the ticket price including donation, the Natural History Museum can reclaim the tax on the whole ticket price under the Gift Aid scheme.