Lyme has long been a magnet for artists and writers.  Many came here for holidays and were inspired by the character of the town and its environment.  Others came here for health reasons.  Some came as children and returned in adulthood.

The more well-known writers with Lyme connections, many of whose work is represented in the museum, include:  Henry Fielding, Beatrix Potter, JRR Tolkein, GK Chesterton, Francis Palgrave, Jane Austen, John Fowles, and more recently, Tracy Chevalier.

Well-known artists with Lyme Connections include James McNeil Whistler, the glass engraver Sir Laurence Whistler, and the ornithologist John Gould.