The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life
The Etches Collection in Kimmeridge is one of Dorset’s most remarkable modern museums, built around the lifelong work of fossil hunter Steve Etches. Over more than 30 years, he uncovered an extraordinary array of Jurassic marine fossils from the Kimmeridge Clay—specimens so detailed and scientifically valuable that they form one of the finest collections of their kind anywhere in the world. The museum presents these discoveries in a striking contemporary building designed to echo the layers of the cliffs outside. Inside, the Main Gallery showcases beautifully preserved ammonites, fish, crustaceans, and intricate shells, many displaying soft‑tissue impressions rarely seen in fossils. The stars of the collection are the dramatic marine reptiles, including ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, displayed with lighting that highlights their textures and anatomical details. Interactive screens explain how these creatures lived, hunted, and evolved in the warm Jurassic seas that once covered Dorset. One of the most fascinating aspects is the focus on behavioural fossils—evidence of feeding, movement, and even injuries frozen in stone. These offer rare insights into ancient life far beyond simple bones. The museum also features a working laboratory, where visitors can watch ongoing preparation and research.
Kimmeridge United Kingdom
The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life is located in the coastal village of Kimmeridge on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. Its full postal address is Kimmeridge, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5PE. Founded by local fossil collector Steve Etches, this modern museum houses an internationally important selection of Late Jurassic marine fossils, featuring sea monsters, prehistoric predators, and detailed interactive CGI displays depicting ancient underwater life. The surrounding Purbeck coastline and countryside offer a wealth of natural and historic attractions to visit. Just down from the museum lies Kimmeridge Bay, famous for its dramatic shale cliffs, rock pools, and rich fossil-bearing stone ledges along the water's edge. A short distance inland stands Clavell Tower, a striking four-story nineteenth-century circular folly perched high on the cliff tops overlooking the sea. Heading slightly east leads to the iconic hilltop ruins of Corfe Castle, an ancient fortress with centuries of royal and civil war heritage. Nearby, visitors can hop aboard the Swanage Railway to take a vintage steam train down to the seaside town of Swanage. To the north, the Tank Museum in Bovington features a massive collection of military vehicles, while nearby Lulworth Castle and the famous coastal arches of Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door offer fantastic historic and natural day trips.