The Jurrasic Coast is famous for its 95 miles of coastline and is known for fossil collecting and unique geology.
Lyme Regis, in particular, is a hotspot for fossil hunting and tales of the Jurassic period. The town is a beautiful place, rich in history, pretty cottages and the brilliant Dinosaurland Museum.
Suitable for all ages, dinosaurs and fossil lovers, it’s a must-see if visiting Lyme Regis.
Here’s what you can expect when visiting.
The museum is privately owned by Palaeontologist Steve Davis and his wife Jenny. You can tell when entering how passionate Steve is about his work and the museum.
Steve greets you with a warm welcome when visiting and is keen to share his vast knowledge.
With over 16,000 specimens, it is said that this is the best display of local Jurrasic marine fossils in southwest England.
In the first room you enter, you’ll spot the brilliant collection of crystals, practically floor to ceiling full of beautiful shining rocks.
It’s an amazing sight. Large amethyst and quartz sit beautifully on display.
The museum building used to be a congregational church, and interestingly, Mary Anning, a famous fossil hunter and collector from Lyme Regis, was baptised at the church in 1799.
She was famous for discovering the first Ichthyosaur in Lyme Regis in 1811.
Most found are around two metres long, however the one she found was a Platyodon type which is four or five times larger.
The one on display in the museum is another type of Platyodon that was found in Lyme Regis in 1972 and is like the one Mary Anning found.
The ground floor is full of local 200 million-year-old Jurrasic marine fossils.
Little notes of information written by Steve let you know all about the fossils on display.
Each display cabinet is fascinating and shows how amazing fossils and dinosaurs are.
The collection ranges from the larger Ichthyosaurs to ammonite fish and tiny microfossils.
There are many bones, rocks, fossils and historical treasures to explore.
Although small, you can spend a lot of time looking at the abundance of historical findings.
Everywhere has an interesting point to admire.
Upstairs is a creative world showcasing the vastness of geological time.
Young ones will love the dinosaur scenes that you wander through.
The sharp teeth, dripping blood and dinosaur skeletons bring the museum to life and spark excitement.
The timeline shows how life has evolved through Earth’s history. The display cabinets are captivating, and you’ll be amazed at the amount on display.
Don’t forget to check out what a dinosaur would look like if they were around today!
The Natural History room is riveting. It showcases a collection of present-day shells, skeletons and taxidermy.
It shows how present life relates to what we see in the fossil collection.
The cabinets in this room were particularly interesting, especially the butterfly display.
Another impressive sight is the Indian python skeleton consisting of 321 backbones.
The snake skin is an eye-opener; it’s hard to imagine seeing a snake that big.
This room was fascinating, and although a smaller room in the museum, there was an endless amount of items to explore.
The Dinosaurland Fossil Museum is a brilliant place, an exciting time for all the family and sure to spark lots of interest and conversation.
This is a must when visiting Lyme Regis with the area being rich in Jurrasic history.
To find out more, visit the Dinosaurland Fossil website here.
🦖 Coombe St, Lyme Regis DT7 3PY
