ANOTHER SIDE OF THE MUSEUM
The snake sanctuary.
Fort Ternan Museum’s snake sanctuary adds a living-wildlife dimension to a place known for its prehistoric discoveries. Make it part of the conversation when planning your visit: ask the museum team which snakes are currently on display and how sanctuary visits are arranged.
It is also a starting point for questions. What makes a snake a reptile? How do animals use colour and movement? Why do different animals need different habitats? Bring your curiosity, and follow the team’s guidance around the animals.
Plan with the museum team. Confirm current sanctuary access and whether any separate admission or guiding arrangements apply. Snake handling, demonstrations and particular species are not promised on this website.
TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT LIFE
From fossil clues to living creatures.
Read the evidence.
Fort Ternan’s fossil deposits offer clues to life around 14 million years ago. A tooth or jaw can help researchers ask how an extinct animal lived.
Explore the fossil story →Notice the details.
Watching living animals invites different questions: how do they move, shelter and respond to their surroundings? Today’s landscape is not a reconstruction of the Miocene.
Try a discovery activity →THE WIDER FORT TERNAN COUNTRYSIDE
Small things. Plenty to notice.
Leave time to look and listen as you explore the local area. These are observation ideas for the surrounding countryside, rather than a list of animals held at the museum or a guarantee of sightings. Ask permission before entering neighbouring land.
Birdlife
Listen before you look. Notice a bird’s silhouette, colours, calls and the place it chooses to perch. A sketch or photograph can help you identify it later.
Butterflies & beetles
Look closely at flowers and vegetation without disturbing them. Compare wings, antennae and the very different ways insects move.
Praying mantises
A patient look among leaves may reveal an insect shaped and coloured to blend in. Observe any mantis where you find it; leave plants and animals undisturbed.
The whole habitat
Look beyond the animal. Think about shade, water, plants and shelter. A small patch of vegetation can be a starting point for a much bigger question.
No species-specific sighting claims are made here. Local sightings vary with place, weather and season.
Explore the area with our local friendCuriosity, with care.
- Follow staff instructions and keep the distance requested around sanctuary animals.
- Do not touch enclosures, feed animals or attempt to handle snakes.
- Keep children close and ask before using a flash or photographing displays.
- Outdoors, leave wildlife, plants and fossils where you find them.
A few useful questions.
Which snakes can I see?
Ask the museum team for the current sanctuary species and displays before travelling. The collection is not listed here without confirmation.
Can I handle a snake or watch a demonstration?
This website does not advertise handling or scheduled demonstrations. Ask staff what is available and follow their instructions.
Are the wildlife notes about animals inside the museum?
The snake sanctuary is a museum attraction. The bird and insect notes are ideas for observing the wider Fort Ternan countryside; they are not a museum collection list.
Can we make this an educational visit?
Our discovery activities offer questions to bring along. Contact the museum or NMK education team to discuss group access and any learning support for your chosen date.