Fossil Blue Gallery

The Fossil Blue Gallery sits near Wimborne and does exactly what the name suggests - showcases fossils with an emphasis on blue specimens, which Dorset's coast does rather well. It's a small, specialist space rather than a sprawling museum, so you're looking at a focused collection of finds from the local area and beyond. The real draw here is if you're genuinely interested in palaeontology or you've got kids who've just discovered dinosaurs and fossils. Adults who think they'll pop in for fifteen minutes often find themselves absorbed for longer than expected, reading labels and examining pieces closely.

Wimborne itself is a proper market town with decent enough shops and a cafe scene, so you could combine this with a bit of high street browsing. The admission cost and exact opening hours aren't confirmed online, which means ringing ahead is advisable - nothing worse than showing up to find it shut on Wednesdays or something equally annoying.

If you're staying at one of the caravan parks nearby - Dorset Glamping sits just 3.9 miles away, and South Lytchett Manor is under five miles off - this works as a rainy afternoon activity without any faffing about. It won't take up a full day, though, so you'll want to layer in a walk along the Stour or a visit to Wimborne Minster. Better as a supplement to a proper park holiday than the main event, but geology enthusiasts and fossil hunters will find it worth the detour from the campsite.