Jurassic Stones

Fossil hunting comes indoors at this specialist gallery just outside Weymouth, where you can examine some properly impressive specimens without getting muddy on the beach. The collection focuses on finds from Dorset's famous Jurassic Coast, including ammonites, belemnites and the occasional ichthyosaur that'll make geology enthusiasts go weak at the knees.

Kids who've caught the fossil bug will love seeing what they might uncover on local beaches, though younger ones might find the displays a bit static after half an hour. The real appeal here is for serious collectors and anyone wanting to understand what they're looking at when they're scrambling over the rocks at Lyme Regis or Charmouth.

Location-wise, it's well placed for families staying at Haven Weymouth Bay Holiday Park or Waterside Bowleaze Cove, both within a couple of miles. Makes a good rainy day backup when the beach isn't calling, and you can easily combine it with a trip into Weymouth proper. The gallery gives proper context to the coast's geological treasures - you'll appreciate those cliff walks so much more once you know what's actually embedded in the rocks beneath your feet.