Discover over 12,000 fossils in a fabulous museum, where you’ll take a trip through time and learn about the Jurassic era in Lyme Regis
The Dinosaurland Fossil Museum is located only a 15 minute drive away from our 5 star destination, Hawkchurch Resort & Spa in picturesque South Devon. The museum is privately owned and managed by Palaeontologist Steve Davis and his wife, Jenny.
Mr Davis has collected over 12,000 specimens and created the museum to showcase how spectacular and fascinating the world of fossils really is. The collection still manages to grow every year, so you’ll always see something new at Dinosaurland! There’s even a map room showing you why Lyme Regis offers the best fossils and were the best places to find and your own are.
the three museums
Dinosaurland Fossil Museum is split into 3 distinct areas, each showing a different aspect of the collection.
- The Fossil Collection – taking up the first floor, wander through the amazing collection of local 200 million year old marine Jurassic fossils and learn about the types of creatures who lived in the sea then. The exhibit is home to large fossils, including an impressive Ichthyosaur, as well as the small ammonites and, the tiny microfossils! There is also a collection of Chinese fossils, with the 73kg dino dung being the most popular attraction here.
- The Time Gallery – travel through Earth’s history and learn how Geologists date ancient rocks, with the exhibit showcasing the expanse of geological time on our planet. You can take a stroll through the different scenes portraying life and how it evolved through our history.
- The Natural History Room – marvel at an impressive collection of skeletons, beautiful shells from the beaches and a range of taxidermy showing a number of different creatures, some modern and some not! The exhibit shows how our present day life relates to the fossils that can be found in the collections at the museum. The Indian Python skeleton is a popular and fascinating sight, as it has 321 backbone segments!
why is Lyme Regis so good for fossil hunting?
200 million years ago the climate in Britain was subtropical, with the northern edge of the country covered by the Tethys Ocean. There was an important combination in the Lyme Regis area of warm, shall water and rich food flowing through, this helped to create the fossils still being found today. There are 3 main reasons why Lyme Regis has such a high population of fossils:
- The local area managed to create a rich and diverse lifestyle for the creatures here 200 million years ago
- The well preserved fossils were contained rocks, which lifted to the surface over 15 million years ago
- Natural erosion along the Lyme Regis area is consistently exposing new fossils for people to find
There are two main beaches near Lyme Regis that are best to try your hand at fossil hunting are Black Ven Beach and Monmouth Beach, and you could start your Palaeontology career!
the fossil shop
Explore the shop where you can purchase over 500 types of minerals and fossils, it’s just as interesting as the exhibits and you can buy these beautiful fossils home with you.
The shop also stocks an impressive range of rough diamonds, rubies, emeralds and other beautiful gemstones, all available for purchase.
And if you get home only to realise you wanted something from the fabulous shop, you can pop online to purchase anything you like and they will deliver it to your home!
Don’t miss out on a fascinating day out at Dinosaurland Fossil Museum, where you can take a trip through time and learn all about the Jurassic era in Lyme Regis.
about Hawkchurch Resort & Spa
Located only a 15 minute drive from the museum is our beautiful five star destination, Hawkchurch Resort & Spa, where you can enjoy beautiful views of the magical Axe Valley.
Book your holiday at Hawkchurch to explore the local area and discover Lyme Regis, while returning to your luxurious lodge. Our holiday accommodation boats open living spaces, fully fitted kitchens, sumptuous bedrooms and a range of lodges with hot tubs, you will love relaxing here.
Enjoy our outstanding facilities, including the Bistro Restaurant & Bar, serving delicious meals and stocking all your favourite beverages. Soothe those aching muscles in our stunning Hydrotherapy Pool, or relax in our steam room and Hammam-style sauna. The Ezina Spa offers a wide range of Aromatherapy Associates treatments to help you unwind from the daily grind.
You can truly relax with us at Hawkchurch Resort & Spa, and if you don’t want to leave? You don’t have to! We also offer holiday home ownership at Hawkchurch.
For more information call us on 01745 858010 or talk to an advisor via our Live Chat service.