A new exhibition bringing the past to life is premiering at Mansfield Museum.

Humans: Inhabiting the British Isles combines archaeological evidence with cutting-edge DNA analysis to shed new light on Britain’s earliest ancestors – along with the Ice Age animals they battled.

The exhibition, which runs until Saturday, 7th December, will appeal to all ages and visitors will be able to come face-to-face with 12 reconstructions of our ancestors spanning 950,000 years, during which four species of humans made this part of the world their home.

Coun Stuart Richardson, portfolio holder for Regeneration and Growth, said: “We’re thrilled to be the first venue anywhere to host this brand new exhibition. It looks fabulous, and is jam packed with so many amazing objects – from mammoths to ancient tools.

“This is one for visitors of all ages, and it’s just one of the many exciting things happening here at Mansfield Museum and Palace Theatre this autumn, thanks to the funding we have received from Arts Council England.”

Many human migrations have taken place in Britain through the ages with each set of newcomers bringing with them their own cultures, ideas, technologies and tools.

On display are fossils of the Ice Age animals they hunted – or which hunted them! There are also archaeological artefacts from all corners of the British Isles.

They include some of the earliest Stone Age tools made by humans thousands of years ago and intricately-crafted Bronze Age and Iron Age weapons and jewellery.

The exhibition shows how early humans interacted with the prehistoric environment and climate, and creatures such as mammoths which they hunted, and why humans survived and continue to thrive.

There will be all kinds of fascinating facts to find out about our human predecessors and the country they inhabited.

For instance, archaeological remains show that most Neanderthals were right-handed and that it used to be possible to walk from Scotland to Belgium on dry land.

The exhibition is having its national premiere in Mansfield before touring the rest of the UK next year.

It has been devised and put together by external producer, Bespoke Scientific, a dynamic young company dedicated to producing outstanding natural history and science exhibitions, featuring previously unseen material, in a manner that promotes enjoyment and which cultivates understanding. It was also behind Mansfield Museum’s recent popular Dinosaurs: Weird and Wonderful exhibition.

These experience have been made possible thanks to Mansfield District Council being awarded National Portfolio Organisation status and grant funding from Arts Council England to deliver high quality creative and cultural activities to help expand its audience to include hard-to-reach communities.

Among the educational activities running in tandem with the exhibition will be a fun and interactive workshop on Thursday 28 November which is aimed at primary school aged children who are home schooled.

It will help youngsters learn about fossils and what they reveal about our ancestors, how natural selection shaped key evolutionary changes like walking on two legs, and how humans adapted to different environments. More details and bookings can be made on the museum website at www.mansfield.gov.uk/museum.