Lyme Regis Museum, Lyme Regis, Dorset
Lyme Regis Museum not only provides a respite from the crowds along the sea front on a summers days, it’s also got a lot of wonderful surprises. There’s the historic building for a start, with its fascinating original features including the iron railed spiral staircase; there are the stupendous sea views, and of course, the inspiring collections.
Mary Anning, right. If you don’t know, she’s famous all over the world for her startling fossil discoveries back in Victorian times, among them the 195 million year old ichthyosaur now housed in the Natural History Museum in London. Lyme Regis Museum stands on the site of the house where Mary Anning lived and ran a small fossil shop, and it has a whole new wing dedicated to her and her work.
Collections include Earth Science, Lyme Regis’ literary connections – namely John Fowles, Jane Austen and Tracey Chevalier, and local history like the incredible landslips which have formed the very unique Undercliff Nature Reserve from Lyme Regis to Axmouth. There are guided fossil hunts, a well-stocked shop and lifts to the first floor.
Check the website for the latest opening times
T: 01297 443370
All information correct at the time of writing