The museum is located in a Grade II listed building originally built as a chapel in 1795.
Many of the fossils on display were found by the curator himself along the local beaches.
The collection includes a rare display of a fossilized fish stomach showing its last meal.
It holds one of the most complete ichthyosaur skeletons ever found in the region.
The museum exhibits an extensive collection of 'coprolites', which are fossilized animal droppings.
The site functions as a dedicated repository for Jurassic marine life specifically, rather than dinosaurs in the strict biological sense.
The display includes authentic specimens collected during the Victorian era alongside modern finds.
Dinosaurland Fossil Museum is a privately owned collection housed in a historic 18th-century former Congregational church in Lyme Regis. The museum specializes in Jurassic marine fossils specifically recovered from the local World Heritage Jurassic Coast. It features a comprehensive display of ammonites, belemnites, and marine reptiles including ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. The collection was curated by paleontologist Steve Davies and focuses on the geology of the Blue Lias cliffs. The building itself is a notable piece of local architecture, preserving its original rafters and stonework. The museum provides an educational look at the biological history of the Dorset coastline. It maintains a primary focus on specimens found within a few miles of the town.
The dramatic, towering display of ammonite spirals near the center of the main hall.
Visit the museum before heading to the beach to learn how to identify local fossil types.
Read the descriptive signage carefully, as the curator includes personal anecdotes about specific fossil hunting expeditions.
Check the local tide tables before your visit, as the best fossil hunting occurs at low tide after the museum visit.
Do not confuse this museum with the Lyme Regis Museum; they are two separate institutions with different collections.
Closed during the winter months; operates seasonally from spring through autumn.
