The A Town Explores A Book 2025 book choice is Gideon Mantell’s scientific paper naming the Iguanodon in 1825. Gideon Mantell presented this paper at the Royal Society.

Gideon Mantell’s research that led to his naming of the Iguanodon species was based on fossilised teeth found by him and his wife Mary Ann at Cuckfield, Sussex.

The #Iguanodon200 logo has been created by team member Evie Ukairo, an early career visual artist who has grown up in Hastings. Evie says, “This exciting opportunity has connected me with my local heritage that I wasn’t previously aware of. The naming of the Iguanodon in 1825 and the later nineteenth-century finds in local quarries is a reason to be proud of where I live.”

The festival team are coordinating the bicentenary events around the country so that festival viewers can enjoy the spring holiday events in St Leonards-on-Sea and #exploremore. Partner venues will include Natural History Musuem. Other museums to be announced shortly. Check back for more news as funding for our festival and our partner’s events is confirmed.