Details for the fieldtrips in this year's conference are listed below.
Fieldtrip 1: Solnhofen Lagerstätte
Monday 9th December 2024
Departure time: 07:00
Approximate return time: 18:30
Capacity: 40 participants
Our one-day pre-conference fieldtrip will visit the world famous Jurassic Konservat-Lagerstätte, found in the municipality of Solnhofen, Bavaria. Departing at 07:00, we will travel approximately 100 kilometres south of Erlangen to the quaint and picturesque town of Solnhofen, where delegates will visit the Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum, home to many stunning Jurassic fossils, including examples of the iconic Archeopteryx. Delegates will receive a personal tour from the scientific manager of the museum, Dr Valentina Rosina, with a brief opportunity to explore the town during the lunch break. In the afternoon, delegates will be taken on a tour of a local quarry, with an opportunity to split limestone and search for fossils! As the light begins to fade, delegates will be given a tour of a lithographic limestone factory, before returning to Erlangen at approximately 18:30. Fieldtrip registration fees will include transport and museum entry (we advise packed lunches to be brought by delegates, although Solnhofen town may have some small shops open). The number of participants will be limited due to coach capacity, with places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis at the time of registration. This trip will visit a working quarry and suitable shoes are compulsory to access the pit. Delegates must also bring a spare pair of shoes and we strongly advise carrying wet (and very cold!) weather clothes. All delegates are also advised to travel with a valid EHIC/GHIC card.
Museum trip: Naturkundemuseum Bamberg (Bamberg Natural History Museum)
Monday 9th December 2024
Tours times: TBC
Capacity: 40 participants
Located just north of Erlangen is the historic city of Bamberg, which boasts not only a UNESCO World Heritage site (the Old Town) but also one of the oldest museums in Germany, the town’s natural history museum (Naturkundemuseum). The Naturkundemuseum Bamberg is situated in a part of the Old Town in a former Jesuit college and contains both geological and biological exhibits, with the majority of these highlighting local geology, paleontology, and biodiversity from the surrounding areas and across Bavaria, including fossils from the Solnhofen Lagerstätte. One of the main attractions is the stunning Bird Gallery (Vogelsaal), which emerged from a “Cabinet of Curiosities” (Wunderkammer) dating back to 1810. Delegates will make their own way to Bamberg by train (or car), followed by a short 15-minute walk from the main train station to the museum. We recommend purchasing train tickets on the day from either the ticket office in Erlangen or via the Deutsche Bahn or VGN apps. At the museum, delegates will be met by director Dr. Oliver Wings, who will take us on a bespoke guided tour of the historic exhibits and fossil collections. As the museum is closed to the public on Mondays, delegates will be free to enjoy the space at their leisure. The guided tour will last approximately 2 hours and two different starting times will be available (mid morning and early afternoon). Afterwards, delegates are encouraged to explore the rest of what Bamberg has to offer, including the quaint (and delicious!) Christmas market in the market square and the city’s famous smokey beer (Rauchbier). Please contact the meeting organisers in advance of signing up to this trip if you have any accessibility requirements so that we can advise on the best mitigations.
Fieldtrip 2: Grube Messel (Messel pit)
Friday 13th December 2024
Departure time: 06:00
Approximate return time: 19:30
Capacity: 40 participants
Our one-day post-conference field trip will visit the iconic Eocene Grube Messel Konservat-Lagerstätte. Leaving at 06:00, we will travel approximately 200 kilometres west of Erlangen to quarry where we will meet with Dr Krister T. Smith and Dr Sonja Wedmann (Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt) who will give delegates a tour of the working Messel pit. Delegates will then visit the associated visitor centre for lunch at the canteen, and an opportunity to have a tour of the special exhibition about Eocene Perissodactyla from the three different sites in Germany by the curator, Philipe Havlik. Afterwards, we will head towards the town of Messel, stopping in the research station, where Dr Wedmann will showcase the preparation techniques for the fossils found at the site. Upon arrival in the small town of Messel, we will visit the local museum before heading back to Erlangen, returning at approximately 19:30. Fieldtrip registration fees will include transport and museum entry fees. The number of participants will be limited due to coach capacity, with places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis at the time of registration. This trip will visit a working quarry and suitable shoes are compulsory to access the pit. Delegates must also bring a spare pair of shoes and we strongly advise delegates to bring wet (and very cold!) weather clothes. All delegates are also advised to travel with a valid EHIC/GHIC card. Please note, Grube Messel is a UNESCO world heritage site and fossil collecting is strictly not permitted.