Sheffield University has opened a new temporary museum of natural history, revealing a number of its treasured exhibits to the public for the first time.

The Alfred Denny Museum, commonly used by students, contains extraordinary items, such as a skull of an extinct man-sized eagle and tiny flying dinosaur skeletons.

The curator, Professor Tim Birkhead, will provide tours and give talks on the museum’s treasures. "Science might seem dull on paper, but it really is quite remarkable and this is a great way of getting it out of the textbooks and into people’s imaginations," he said.

The launch of the museum of natural history is part of the city's 11-day Festival of the Mind.