The Etches Collection
Museum in Kimmeridge showing more than 2,000 Late Jurassic marine fossils collected by Steve Etches, including a giant pliosaur skull.
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About the museum
The Etches Collection is an independent museum in the village of Kimmeridge on the Jurassic Coast. It displays fossils from the Kimmeridge Clay, about 152 to 157 million years old, when this area lay beneath a shallow tropical sea. Nearly all of them were found by Steve Etches, who collected for more than 30 years in Kimmeridge Bay, within two miles of the museum. A few important specimens were donated, among them an ichthyosaur and a pliosaur skull that featured in a BBC programme about a giant sea monster.
A purpose-built museum was opened in 2016 so that the collection would remain accessible to the public after its collector's lifetime. The building, which cost about 5 million pounds, was funded with money from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other trusts and donors. The museum is a charity and receives no government support for its daily running, so it depends on ticket sales, events and room hire.
A fossil gallery with interactive displays and computer imagery shows the collection. Visitors can also see the workshop and laboratory where fossils are cleaned and conserved, a discovery room with geology and archaeology displays and a library, and a microscope and fossil-handling area. In 2026 the skeleton of an Allosaurus called Big Sara was lent to the museum for two years and is displayed in the Clore Room.
Highlights
- More than 2,000 Late Jurassic fossils from the Kimmeridge Clay
- Giant pliosaur skull known from the BBC Attenborough programme
- Big Sara, an Allosaurus skeleton on loan for two years from 2026
- Working fossil laboratory and handling area with a microscope
- Wolfson Discovery Room with geology and local archaeology displays
Permanent exhibitions
- Fossil gallery – Late Jurassic marine fossils from the Kimmeridge Clay, presented with computer imagery and interactives, including the giant pliosaur skull.
- Wolfson Discovery Room – A room with geology and palaeontology displays, a library and a display on the human history of Kimmeridge.
- Big Sara – A 10-metre Allosaurus skeleton on loan to the museum for two years, shown in the Clore Room hall.
- Founded
- 2016
- Operated by
- The Etches Collection (charity)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £9.50 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £4.75free up to age 4 · Child ticket for ages 5 to 16. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · One free carer ticket for each visitor with a disability, on production of proof such as a benefit award letter, a valid Blue Badge or a letter from a doctor, dated within the last 12 months. |
| Groups (10+ people) | –Groups of more than 10 must book in advance, and groups of 10 or more receive discounted tickets; ask the museum for a quote. |
| Families | £23.75For 2 adults and 2 children. |
| Family ticket, 1 adult and 3 children | £19 |
No advance booking is needed. The entrance fee includes free re-admission for 12 months from the date on the receipt, and tickets are not transferable. Gift Aid can be added to admission.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The modern building has step-free access and a lift between its two levels, with accessible toilets on both. There is a type T hearing loop, seating throughout and a set-down area in front of the entrance. Fossils can be handled by visitors with a visual impairment if arranged in advance, most exhibits have QR codes linking to audio guidance, and quiet early openings for neurodiverse visitors can be booked. Only assistance dogs are allowed inside.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | £23.75 · For 2 adults and 2 children. |
- Hands-on stations
The museum has a family ticket, a microscope and fossil-handling area, and learning visits for schools on the Jurassic Coast and the giant sea monster.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Kimmeridge cannot be reached by public transport. Taxis run to the village from Wareham railway station, and a cycle rack is available at the museum.
By car
Free parking
The free museum car park holds 45 cars and has reserved spaces for disabled visitors. If it is full, visitors are asked not to park on the main village road. The quarry car park before the village or Kimmeridge Bay, a 15 minute walk away, can be used instead; the Smedmore Estate charges a toll of 6 pounds at Kimmeridge Bay, payable by contactless card only.
- Accessible parking
Kimmeridge is signposted from the A351 at Wareham, eight miles south. Sat navs may suggest a route through the Lulworth firing ranges, which is often closed, so the museum advises coming via the Wareham bypass or Corfe Castle. Range closures can happen without notice, and the museum can advise by phone. The what3words location of the car park entrance is tarred.awoke.risen.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
The shop sells cold drinks and snacks, but there is no café or hot food on site. There are picnic areas nearby, and Clavell's café and restaurant is opposite. Water bottles can be refilled free of charge.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
The Clore Room, a flexible event space with a covered south-facing balcony, can be hired for meetings, retreats, birthdays and educational events. Numbers for evening events are limited by the car park.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Groups can arrange a guided museum visit, and Steve Etches sometimes gives a tour himself. French and German guides and a guide who signs can be arranged. Coaches and minibuses with more than 12 seats need a free permit from Dorset County Council for some minor roads in Purbeck. |
