The Etches Collection facts for kids
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View of the building housing The Etches Collection from the main road in Kimmeridge
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| Established | 2016 |
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| Location | Kimmeridge, Dorset, United Kingdom |
| Founder | Steve Etches |
| Architect | Kennedy O'Callagahan Architects |
The Etches Collection is a cool museum in Kimmeridge, Dorset, England. It's also called the Museum of Jurassic Marine Life. This special place shows off amazing fossils found by a dedicated fossil hunter named Steve Etches. He spent his whole life collecting these ancient treasures.
Steve found most of his fossils right in the local area. This part of the coast is famous for its history. It's called the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site known for its incredible rocks and fossils. You can find many of these fossils around Kimmeridge Bay and the Kimmeridge Ledges.
The Museum Building
The museum building opened its doors in 2016. It cost about £5 million to build! This modern building was created to keep Steve Etches' huge collection safe. It also makes sure everyone can see and learn from these amazing fossils for many years to come.
What You Can See: The Collection
Steve Etches collected fossils for over 30 years before the museum even opened. During that time, he gathered more than 2,000 fossil specimens. These fossils are super important for science around the world. They form the main part of the museum's collection.
The collection includes some really unique finds. You can see fossilized ammonite eggs, which are very rare. There are also fossils from the Upper Jurassic period. These come from a rock layer called the Kimmeridge Clay Formation. One famous fossil there is Thalassodraco etchesi, a marine reptile named after Steve himself!
See also
