Breaking Ground

What the colourful archives of William and Mary Buckland reveal about science, status and society.

Through the expansive finding of fossils and development of new techniques and methods, the 19th century transformed our understanding of the history of Earth. Breaking Ground explores these themes through William Buckland, geologist and palaeontologist, and Mary Buckland (née Morland), a scientific illustrator, the couple at the heart of this exhibition. They both helped to establish new scientific methods and ideas, which led to fascinating discoveries in palaeontology, including the first ever dinosaur to be named to science.