LOOK · LISTEN · WONDER
Your discovery checklist.
Try these at the museum or, where appropriate, while exploring the surrounding countryside. They are prompts for observation—not a scavenger hunt to collect objects or disturb wildlife.
0 of 5 discoveries explored.
Your ticks stay on this page only. Nothing is submitted or stored; refreshing the page resets the activity.
THINK FIRST. THEN REVEAL.
A little fossil quiz.
1. Was Kenyapithecus wickeri a modern human?
No—an extinct ape. It belongs to the much older story of Miocene apes. Its exact relationship to other fossil apes is a scientific question.
2. Are we talking about 14 thousand or 14 million years?
About 14 million years. That is roughly 14,000,000 years: deep geological time, long before the lives of modern humans.
3. Who helped bring the Fort Ternan fossils to light?
Heselon Mukiri was an important member of the research team. The Kenyan fossil finder managed excavations at Fort Ternan. Read about the people behind the discoveries.
4. If you notice something that could be a fossil, should you pick it up?
Leave it in place and tell the museum team. Where an object is found is part of its scientific context. A photograph taken without disturbing it can help explain what you noticed.
Make a field note.
You do not need specialist equipment to start observing. Use a notebook, a pencil or a photograph taken where photography is allowed.
What did you notice?
Describe a shape, colour, sound or movement. Start with what you actually observed.
Where was it?
Was it in shade, on a flower, in a display or high in a tree? Context helps you ask better questions.
What do you wonder?
Write one question. An interesting observation does not need an immediate answer.
How could you check?
Ask a knowledgeable guide, consult a field guide or compare reliable sources. Keep a guess separate from an identification.
Bring a class. Start a conversation.
The fossil story and questions about living wildlife offer starting points for learning about observation, evidence and Kenyan scientific heritage. These are self-guided website activities; they do not confirm a staffed education programme or booking.
For a school or group visit, share your intended date, group size, age range and learning interests with the museum or NMK education team. Confirm guiding, facilities, sanctuary access and any fees before travelling.