Dinosaurland Fossil Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dinosaurland Fossil Museum |
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| Location | Lyme Regis, Dorset |
| Built | 1750-1755 |
| Architect | John Whitty |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Congregational Church | |
| Designated | 31 January 1974 |
| Reference no. | 1278935 |
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The Dinosaurland Fossil Museum, also known as Dinosaurland, is a special place in Lyme Regis, England. It's a privately owned museum that shows off amazing fossils. Lyme Regis is on the famous Jurassic Coast in Dorset, which is known for its ancient rocks and fossils. The museum itself is in a very old building that used to be a church. This building is so important that it's listed as a Grade I listed building.
Contents
Discovering Dinosaurland
The Dinosaurland Fossil Museum first opened its doors in 1989. It is owned and managed by Steve Davies, who used to be a top expert in palaeontology (the study of fossils) for a big company called BP.
What You'll See at the Museum
The museum has a fantastic collection of marine fossils. These fossils were found right there on the Jurassic Coast and are from the Jurassic period, which was millions of years ago when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
- Fossil Collection: Most of the fossils are on the ground floor. You'll see local Jurassic fossils, but also some dinosaur fossils from China.
- Dinosaur Exhibits: The museum has a small but cool collection of dinosaur fossils. This includes a large piece of fossilized dinosaur poop (called a coprolite), a skeleton of a Megalosaurus, and a Chinese dinosaur whose exact type is not yet known.
- Other Displays: Besides ancient fossils, the museum also displays modern shells and skeletons.
- Fossil Hunting Walks: If you're feeling adventurous, the museum organizes guided walks where you can go fossil hunting yourself!
- Museum Shop: There's also a shop where you can buy your own fossils and minerals.
The Historic Church Building
The Dinosaurland Fossil Museum is located on Coombe Street in a building that is over 250 years old. This building is very important historically and is a Grade I listed building.
A Church with History
This building used to be a congregational church. It was built between 1750 and 1755 by a person named John Whitty. A very famous early fossil hunter, Mary Anning (1799–1847), was baptized in this church and later attended services here.
Building Features
The building has two floors and a special kind of roof called a hipped roof. It also has rusticated quoins, which are special stone blocks at the corners that look rough. The main doorway is rounded and has Doric pilasters (flat columns) on either side. A part of the building was added in the 1800s on the left side.
Other Places to Explore
- Lyme Regis Museum
- Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre
- The Dinosaur Museum in Dorchester, Dorset
- Dinosaur Isle, Sandown, Isle of Wight
