If you’re visiting the Braintree District Museum anytime soon, then please take some time to interact with the touring Extinction exhibition, which is in the first gallery you come to after entering through the shop. This exhibition is one of many that has been created by the team at the Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery, which coincidentally is a museum I am yet to visit. Watch this space! Earth’s history records five great mass extinctions. Some scientists believe we may now be witnessing a sixth, driven by climate change and human impact on the environment. Extinction therefore combines a natural-history exhibition while also examining the science and stories behind past mass extinctions and the current biodiversity crisis in a family-friendly way. The exhibition was produced as a touring package and is modular with panels, cases and interactive displays that can be adapted to different gallery spaces. That flexibility shows in the Braintree installation, large immersive panels, glass cases with local fossil material, and life-size models/casts to attract younger visitors (see how many you can spot in the photo below). Hurry though, you’ve only got until December to catch this exhibition before it goes extinct!
The exhibition moves through deep time such as the Mesozoic and the Cretaceous-Palaeogene Extinction (the end of the dinosaurs and marine reptiles), through Ice Age megafauna (think mammoths and woolly rhinos, with some locally collected) and more recent human-driven losses (such the dodo which is the face of this exhibit). Extinction works to links those histories to modern conservation work and local natural-history collections, such as the one within the Braintree District Museum. The display mixes real fossils and bones with life-size casts, interpretive panels and hands-on elements intended for schools and families – there is a vast amount of resources for children which is great to see, after all they are going to be custodians of the environment of the future. There is one discrepancy that I want to point out quickly, and it is within the signage that contains the dodo. The sign states ‘…one in ten of our wildlife in the UK is critically endangered.’, which is incorrect. One in ten species may be threatened with extinction but they are not critically endangered, which is a very specific term and a threat category recognised by the IUCN for those species on the very cusp of extinction. The State of Nature Report provides a somewhat depressing overview of the current state of Britain’s wildlife, but it isn’t that bad just yet.
Many people will recognise the dodo (Raphus cucullatus) and that they are extinct. How many of them know how they went extinct and when? Thankfully, there is information about this to help inform visitors and they even get the chance to see a cast of their remains too. As a quick recap for those of you who may not know (or be able to read the text above), the dodo was a flightless bird that lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. When humans arrived in the late 1500s, they brought with them animals such as pigs, rats, and monkeys, which raided dodo nests and ate their eggs. Humans also hunted the birds for food and destroyed their forest habitat. Due to the fact the dodo had no natural predators before humans arrived, it was unafraid of people and easy to catch. Within less than a century, by the late 1600s, the dodo was completely extinct, with the last confirmed sighting in 1662. It is believed that the introduced animals caused most of the decline rather than them being clubbed to death.
Unfortunately, no dinosaur remains have been found in Braintree but there is evidence of a number of other species from across southern England. These discoveries date back to the early 19th century, with the discovery of the very first species recognised to be dinosaurs, although the term ‘dinosaur’ didn’t exist at the time. Many important fossils have been found in places like the Isle of Wight, Sussex, and Dorset. Some of the main dinosaurs discovered there include Iguanodon, one of the first dinosaurs ever identified, known for its large size and thumb spike used for defense. Megalosaurus, the first dinosaur ever scientifically named, was found in Oxfordshire and represents a large carnivorous theropod. The Isle of Wight has yielded many species, such as Neovenator, a fierce predator, and Mantellisaurus, a close relative of Iguanodon. Fossils of Hypsilophodon, a small, fast herbivore, and Polacanthus, an armoured dinosaur with spikes and plates, have also been found there. These discoveries have helped palaeontologists understand the diversity of dinosaurs that lived in Britain, which also provides the perfect opportunity for us to discuss extinction.
In south-eastern England, fossils and remains of mammoths have provided valuable clues about these ancient Ice Age animals and the environment they lived in. Mammoth bones, tusks, and teeth have been found in places across Essex, and along the Thames Valley, showing that these large, woolly relatives of elephants once roamed the region during the last Ice Age, around 10,000 to 200,000 years ago. The evidence suggests that mammoths lived in cold, grassy environments and migrated across the landscape in herds, feeding on tough grasses and shrubs. Some fossil sites have also revealed tools and signs of early human activity, indicating that humans may have hunted mammoths or scavenged their remains. These discoveries help scientists piece together what south-eastern England looked like during the Ice Age and how both humans and animals adapted to its harsh, changing climate.
Speaking of climate change, what is it? Climate change refers to the long-term warming of the Earth caused mainly by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests. Historically, it has occurred due to natural causes but not at the pace we are experiencing currently. This warming affects not only the atmosphere but also the oceans, which absorb much of the excess heat and carbon dioxide. As a result, ocean temperatures are rising, sea levels are increasing due to melting ice, and seawater is becoming more acidic. These changes harm marine life, coral reefs are bleaching, fish are migrating to cooler waters, and many species are struggling to survive in their changing habitats. Climate change also affects ocean currents and weather patterns, leading to stronger storms and disruptions to ecosystems that people rely on for food and livelihoods. In short, climate change is transforming the oceans in ways that threaten both marine biodiversity and human societies. This has happened before in Earth’s history, which led to the largest mass extinction of all time.
Learning about extinction is important for many reasons, including ecological, scientific, ethical, and practical ones. Every species plays a vital role in maintaining balance within its ecosystem. For example, bees pollinate plants, and predators help control prey populations. When a species goes extinct, it can disrupt food webs and the stability of entire ecosystems. Understanding extinction helps us recognize how interconnected all life on Earth truly is. Studying past extinctions also allows scientists to learn how life responds to major environmental changes, such as climate shifts or asteroid impacts. By examining these events, we can better predict and possibly prevent future biodiversity crises. In today’s world, many extinctions are driven by human activities like habitat destruction, pollution, overhunting, and climate change. Learning about extinction helps us understand the consequences of our actions and encourages us to adopt more sustainable practices.
Aside from mammoths, the landscape used to be very different with a number of other species living alongside some of the first human settlers in Essex. Animals such as bison (Bison priscus), aurochs (Bos primigenius), and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) roamed widely across the region. At times when the climate was cold and much of northern Britain was covered in ice, herds of reindeer lived on the open tundra and grasslands of southern Britain, feeding on lichens and migrating with the seasons. In slightly warmer periods, bison and aurochs (both large grazing animals) thrived in the more temperate grasslands and woodlands. The aurochs, the wild ancestor of modern cattle, preferred forested areas, while bison lived in open plains and river valleys. Fossil evidence, including bones and antlers found in caves and river deposits, shows that these animals were common in Britain at different times as the climate alternated between glacial and warmer phases. Their presence helps scientists understand how changing temperatures and environments shaped Britain’s Ice Age ecosystems. By connecting visitors with these remains, it helps demonstrate that extinction is natural however at present, it is far accelerated above the normal level.
As this exhibition is pitched strongly at families and schools, some sections give broad overviews rather than deep technical detail. Adult visitors with a specialist interest may find themselves wanting more interpretive depth (e.g. more on current extinction modelling or primary research references). This is a common trade-off for such exhibitions and given that the Braintree District Museum isn’t a specialist in that area, it may be tricky to find additional resources in the particular area you want. While the more interactive elements are great for younger children, a few more challenges aimed at older children/teens (e.g. problem-solving interactives, data visualisation interactives) would boost engagement for that age group. I would have probably given them a go too. The exhibition makes the link from past extinctions to present-day threats and conservation, but some visitors may want more concrete, local actions they can take, dedicated take-away resources or a small ‘what you can do in Braintree’ hub could strengthen that call to action.
Extinction strikes a careful balance between awe (fossils/big extinct animals) and a sober message about human responsibility. It’s upbeat where it can be (stories of species recovery) without downplaying the seriousness of biodiversity loss. If you’re visiting Braintree District Museum and you like natural history, this is a strong and well-designed exhibition that contains approachable science communication and family-friendly interactives. It does a particularly good job of tying global geological narratives to local finds. For families and school groups it’s an excellent half-day visit, specialist visitors will appreciate the key objects but might want supplementary material, which the exhibition doesn’t really have much of. It is also a shame that the museum’s geological collections aren’t larger to satisfy deeper curiosity. However, overall it meets the needs of the target audience and helps connect everyone with the ongoing issues with extinction.
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