Dinosaur Isle
Dinosaur Isle
Dinosaur Isle
Dinosaur Isle
Dinosaur Isle
Dinosaur Isle
Dinosaur Isle
Dinosaur Isle
Dinosaur Isle

Dinosaur Isle

 Isle of Wight, England.
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The Isle of Wight is famous for its dinosaurs. With rocks about 126 million years old, the island has some of the best-exposed dinosaur material in Europe. Dinosaur Isle is the island's purpose-built museum that covers the story of the dinosaurs on the island, and also runs guided geology and fossil hunting field trips.

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Our Review

We visited Dinosaur Isle and went on one of their Guided Fossil Walks on Yaverland Beach.

Yaverland beach

This looks like a normal beach, doesn't it? It was once a lake shore and is full of dinosaur fossils and other creatures that lived alongside them.

It was amazing to discover the traces of dinosaurs and other creatures from millions of years ago.

The sea is constantly washing away the layers of sand to expose the rock underneath. He we found rock that was once mud alongside a lake, and there imprinted in the ancient mud, was a dinosaur footprint!

A dinosaur footprint we saw on the Isle of Wight

Another dinosaur footprint. You can see where the claws would have been!

Our guide, Trevor, estimated that this dinosaur would have been seven feet just to its hip, so not someone you would want to meet if you were at this spot millions of years ago!

We also found plenty of fossil poo, including this one from a prehistoric crocodile.

Fossil poo on the Isle of Wight

Prehistoric poo! This one is from a crocodile.

Then there's this bit of fossil bone too.

 Fossilised bone

Fossilised bone

There were other finds indicating this was the site of a freshwater lake by the types of fossilised worms and shells we found.

A fossilised fresh-water clam

A fossilised shell...

This was a really interesting trip, and we learnt a lot. It doesn't cost much to do a guided trip with the Dinosaur Isle team, and it is well worth it, as it takes an expert eye to tell the differences between what is and isn't a fossil and to tell you what it is and what it means.

For example, it's not just about history, but studying this has implications today, both for understanding environmental changes, and for medicine.

This was a great trip and gets the Thumbs Up.

Facilities

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Facilities Details

Please note that the car park around the Dinosaur Isle museum is pay-and-display. Guide Dogs are welcome in the museum. Non-assistance dogs are not allowed in the museum, but well-behaved dogs under strict supervision are allowed on the guided field walks.

Accessibility Info

Click this link to view their Accessibility Details

Prices

Typical Family Range: £17 - £21

Two types of family tickets are available at Dinosaur Isle: Family with 2 adults and 2 children, or a family with 2 adults and 3 children. The Guided Fossil Walks are extra (but worth doing!)

View prices on their website

On The Map

Address

Dinosaur Isle
Dinosaur Isle, Culver Parade, Sandown
Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
PO36 8QA
England

Longitude: -1.142759
Latitude: 50.659197

How to get in touch

 Visit their Website

 Call on 01983 404344

 Email [email protected]