PetroStrat will once again be proudly sponsoring the Etches Collection Children’s Fossil Competition this year alongside the wonderful people at Foster Care Associates. Last year’s inaugural competition was a huge success, the judges certainly had a tough job selecting the six winners among so many beautiful specimens! 

PetroStrat is committed to supporting educational initiatives that promote STEM education and inspire young people to learn about the natural world. Once again we are excited to support this wonderful infinitive, fostering fossil curiosity in the next generation of palaeontologists. 

John Gregory, PetroStrat Director, also on the judging panel for the competition, says:
"I started my palaeontology ‘career’ collecting fossils as a 9 year old and would’ve loved to have been able to enter a competition like this. PetroStrat (who employ 50+ professional palaeontologists globally) are once again proud to be sponsoring the Etches Childrens Fossil Competition and I am looking forward to judging the entries with our friends at the Etches Museum."

What is The Etches Collection Children’s Fossil Competition? 

This annual competition is open to all UK-based children aged 5-16, and encourages them to learn about the fascinating world of fossils. The competition is divided into two age categories: 5-10 and 11-16. In each category, there will be three winners selected by a panel of professional palaeontologists. 

As a wonderful bonus, every child who enters will receive a personal annual pass to the museum (valid for 1 year). 

• The prize – Get your fossil displayed in a real museum 
• The six winners will have their fossils displayed alongside the many other fossils of The Etches Collection, at the Museum of Jurassic Marine Life in Dorset. 
• The six winners will also receive a free annual family pass (2 Adults, 2 Children), so be sure to come down and see your fossil and the rest of the treasures in the collection. 

How to enter the competition 

To enter the competition, head over to the Children’s Fossil Competition 2023 page where all the forms and details can be found. Alongside the entry form be sure to include a written paper, presentation or short video explaining where the fossil was discovered, what is it is and why it should be included in a museum display. You keep hold of your fossil during this stage of the competition, so please don’t send this to the museum yet! 

Parent/guardian permission is required to enter. Entries must be submitted by 1st September 2023. 

Winners will be notified via email in October 2023, and a free courier will be arrived to pick up the fossils and transport them to the museum. 

Interested in learning more or signing up?

Full information on dedicated Fossil Competition page on The Etches Collection website.

About The Etches Collection

The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life is situated a stone’s throw away from the World Heritage UNESCO Jurassic Coast in the village of Kimmeridge (Dorset). Housing the immense collection of Late Jurassic age fossils collected by Dr Steve Etches. The museum also features CGI imagery and interactive experiences to augment the already impressive fossil collection.

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