Mummy's the word

There are more than 130 million years of history packed into Bournemouth Natural Science Society, much of it happened right here in Dorset and the evidence is palpable.

Every 'ology' you can possibly imagine is on display at its Christchurch Road premises, including archaeology, Egyptology, zoology, geology, entomology and ornithology.

And its taxidermist has preserved dozens of animals from moles and bats to deer and foxes.

Tomorrow the society, which has around 350 members, is throwing its doors open to the public with its annual open day.

Vera Copp, chairman of council at the museum, said: "People drive by thinking we're a religious body - they don't have a clue what treasures are here.

"We try to be as educational as possible - as well as having interactive things for people to look at we have books available for people to study and learn from.

"A lot of our displays are irreplaceable - many of the fossils and rocks from Dorset have now either been destroyed or washed away by the sea but we have them on display here for people to see."

And what is there is staggering - there are thousands of fossils, minerals and rocks - including a fossilised 130-million-year-old footprint from an iguanodon dinosaur which was found in a garden near Swanage. There's also a mummified baby crocodile and dozens of stuffed rare birds including a kiwi, golden eagle and osprey.

Mummified Egyptian princess Tahemaa lies in a glass cabinet at the centre and for those curious about what she may have looked like, the centre have gone to remarkable lengths to have a lifelike reconstruction made.

John Cresswell, assistant curator, said: "This is very much the collection of Bournemouth and it's sad that relatively few people have actually seen it."

The museum at 39 Christchurch Road is open between 10.30am and 4.30pm tomorrow and there will also be a chance to look round the botanical gardens. For further details call 01202 553525.