Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, Charmouth, Dorset
Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre is right down by the beach at Charmouth so if you’re here to spend time by the sea when you’re on your holiday in the West Country, it would be rude not to pop in and have a look around, find out more about this fascinating part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. This area is rich in fossils so the centre was set up to promote safe and sustainable collecting; local knowledge is always useful, especially in an area that’s also known for its landslips.
Entry is free and there’s an impressive fossil collection which includes the 200 million year old ichthyosaur featured in the BBC documentary ‘Attenborough and the Sea Dragon’. You can learn about the coastal and marine wildlife to be found in these parts via hands on displays, a video microscope and marine tanks, and if you fancy hunting for your own fossils, join a guided fossil walk; there’s a short film you can watch first, and books you can buy in the shop, as well as knowledgeable wardens on hand to answer any questions you might have. A must do for any seasoned or budding palentologist.
Open: 10.30am-4.30pm every day (may change in the winter)
T: 01297 560772 All information correct at the time of writing