The Museum tells the story of the small town of Lyme Regis in its landscape. The collections comprise objects, paintings and photographs illustrating the geology of the area and the history of the town from medieval times to the present day. There is also a small section on the pre-medieval archaeology of the area.

There are also small special exhibitions from time to time, which will be of particular value to local schools and groups.

Looking at Lyme Regis

The Museum interprets Lyme Regis as town, port and centre for geological studies. Therefore, it forms the ideal introduction to exploring the town, shore and landscape. Studies can be pursued further at:   

• The town itself shows a range of buildings from medieval to modern, including churches, guildhall, domestic, resort and commercial buildings;
• The Cobb hamlet contains the Cobb itself (the harbour created by an incredible piece of medieval marine engineering), the focus of maritime trade and still the setting for fishing and pleasure sailing; there are also the former customs house and warehouses, the current lifeboat station and the aquarium (open April to October);
• The Town Mill halso encourages school parties. Visit www.townmill.org.uk
• Nearby Charmouth Beach houses the Heritage Coast Centre which explains the extraordinary geology of the area and provides guided walks. Visit www.charmouth.org
  

Education is central to the museum’s mission. We encourage schools to visit Lyme Regis Museum as we believe that our award-winning displays are a valuable educational resource.

Schools (KS1 & KS2)

To make group visits by children’s as rewarding as possible we have developed four sets of worksheets which are National Curriculum (KS1&KS2) related and are age/ability differentiated. We would encourage you to prepare your children before their visit using one of the worksheets which can be downloaded and then photocopied locally. The four worksheets are:

• The Cobb and the Sea (PDF, 52kb)
• Fossils and Mary Anning (PDF, 377kb)
• Victorians (PDF, 62kb)
• ‘Oh I do love to be beside the seaside’ - Lyme’s Development into a Seaside Resort (PDF, 42kb)

Other subjects could be offered on request.

Click on any of the above titles to view and download the PDF worksheet.

Sixth forms and adult groups.

There are a number of key themes of national significance including the Civil War and Monmouth's Rebellion, the contribution of Lyme Regis to palaeontology in the early nineteenth century, and Lyme's literary and cultural connections from Jane Austen to John Fowles. Although the display on each theme is not large, together they provide an insight into the amazing contribution of a small town and port to national life.

Arrangements for Visits

To ensure the smooth running of your visit, please note the following:

1. The Museum, whilst rich in objects and information is small. There is a practical maximum of 15 children on one floor at a time and therefore a maximum of 30 children per visit. Your group may therefore need to be split into two during their visit and allocate an adult leader to each. If your group totals more than 30 we would advise that you divide between the museum and other activities in Lyme. We can advise on other activities.
2. Lyme Regis Museum is mainly run by volunteers. We do not have full time education staff or stewards but volunteer advisors will be allocated to your group and meet you on arrival. These persons will be on hand to help your teaching staff and adult helpers to get the most from your group’s visit to the Museum. The advisor does not teach or supervise your students.
3. If for any reason you are not able to arrive at the time agreed we would ask you to contact the museum by phone as we may have another school booked to follow on from your visit.
4. The general public will also be in the Museum, so please respect their need to see the exhibits.
5. There is no lift and the stairs are narrow. Access is therefore difficult for people with mobility problems. It also means that care is needed using the stairs and the balconies. In the event of the need to evacuate the building, the main emergency exit is at the bottom of the main stairwell. It is also possible to leave through the Museum shop.
6. There are no public toilets in the Museum. The nearest public toilets are close by on the other side of the road. Any child wishing to visit the toilets must be accompanied by an adult from your group.
7. If you are arriving by coach, it must set down and pick up your party 40 metres west of the Museum (adjoining Cobb Gate) at or opposite the bus stop. The road outside the Museum is single line and controlled by traffic lights. Coaches must not set down outside the Museum. Be very careful crossing the road. There are signed coach parks in Lyme Regis.

NB A prior visit to the Museum, if you have not made one, will help you plan your visit in relation to your group’s needs. It will also enable you to carry out a risk assessment for your visit with particular regard to points 4,5,6,7 above.

There is a standard charge for educational groups of £1.50 per student, accompanying adults are free. This is payable at the reception desk on arrival.

To book a visit, please email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or telephone 01297 443370