ARTS and crafts activities for all the family, inspired by the work of the "father of English geology" William Smith and led by local theatre company Animated Objects, are on offer at Scarborough’s Rotunda in July and August.

Visitors to the circular museum, which Smith helped to design in the early 1800s, can get involved in the making of large-scale paper mosaics and textile banners for display in the museum space and layered stratographic panels for use with the Rotunda’s light box display, exploring Smith’s work in two and three dimensions.

There will also be the opportunity to make individual works of art to take home, including mini mosaics, light catchers and textile bookmarks, all inspired by Smith’s colourful designs. Each week there will be a different combination of activities, so visitors can engage with something new if they visit on more than one Thursday session.

Art produced in the sessions will be displayed in the Rotunda later in the year as part of the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of Smith’s groundbreaking "map that changed the world", published in 1815.

The techniques he developed while creating the map, a copy of which can be seen in the Rotunda and which shows the geological strata of England and Wales, are still the basis for much geological research today.

Lee Threadgold, artistic director of Animated Objects, said: “It’ll be a great opportunity for visitors to the Rotunda to engage in producing their own artistic response to an important part of the collection, and use it as an inspiration for creations of their own.”

The free drop-in sessions will take place from 10am to noon, and again from 1pm to 3pm, on July 23 and 30 and August 6 and 13.

For more information, phone 01723 353665, or visit scarboroughmuseumstrust.org.uk