Lucy, the skeleton of a female hominin species, was discovered in 1974 in Africa  Scientists think the skeleton is about 3  2 million years old  For six years, Lucy' s remains were part of an exhibition called Lucy' s Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia  However, there was much opposition to the exhibition for fear that Lucy' s fossils would be damaged
It' s a good thing that they started using casts instead; the preservation of these fossils should be the number one concern of excavators and scientists
Lucy's fossils, if they are kept in exhibition for too long, are certainly at risk for damage. Even if you can't see it with the naked eye, the constant handling of fossils will cause wear and tear that time could never recover.