Portland Museum

Portland Museum Portland Museum was founded in 1929 by Dr Marie Stopes, the famous author, paleobotanist and birth control pioneer.

In 1930, Stopes gifted the two 17th century thatched cottages that house its collection to the people of Portland. Situated just above the spectacular Church Ope Cove, the museum sits in an area rich in history that features dinosaurs, fossils, shipwrecks and smugglers, Rufus Castle, Pennsylvania Castle and the ruins of St Andrew’s Church. It houses a collection on locally based themes of quarryin

g and the Portland Stone industry, maritime history, archaeology, folklore and local customs, and fossils and the Jurassic era. Portland Museum Trust is a registered charity and welcomes not only visitors but anyone interested in becoming a volunteer. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity in all our activities and strive to create a work place that reflects the community we serve. We welcome everyone irrespective of age, gender, ability, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. To get in touch, please contact us on 01305 821804 or [email protected]

Huge congratulations to Dr Neville and Sally Hollingworth, awarded a British Empire Medal in the recent King's Birthday ...
18/06/2026

Huge congratulations to Dr Neville and Sally Hollingworth, awarded a British Empire Medal in the recent King's Birthday Honours for their work in putting palaeontology in the public spotlight. Dr Neville Hollingworth was also awarded an OBE!
Their discovery of a mammoth graveyard in a Swindon quarry put them in the spotlight, too, and led to Sir David Attenborough having a cuppa at their home during filming of a documentary about the discovery.
Now living on Portland, their hard work and huge knowledge have been lent to the museum, and an exhibition of just some of their amazing mammoth remains, plus helping out at the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival last week.
Thank you, Nev and Sal, for everything you have done so far. The museum is proud to have you as volunteers and friends!

Day 2 at the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival was AMAZING!We had an absolute blast meeting everyone who stopped by - your curi...
14/06/2026

Day 2 at the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival was AMAZING!
We had an absolute blast meeting everyone who stopped by - your curiosity, questions, and enthusiasm made the whole day buzz. Sharing Portland’s incredible raised‑beach story and the island’s epic geological history with you all was such a joy!
And of course, a HUGE shoutout to our brilliant museum team for bringing the energy all weekend - and to Nelly, our four‑legged ambassador, proudly sporting her Portland Museum badge and stealing hearts along the way! 🐶🦕💛


14/06/2026

A quick update from Portland Museum:
We’re closed today as our team is away at the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, sharing fossils, stories, and Jurassic Coast excitement. We’re sorry for any disruption this causes and truly appreciate your patience and support. We look forward to welcoming you back from tomorrow!

13/06/2026

Shoutout to our amazing volunteer Rachel — one of the friendly faces behind our raised‑beach activity at the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival.
In this video, she walks you through Portland’s ancient beaches and what you can discover at our stand today. We’re so proud of our volunteers and the knowledge they share.

Hello from Lyme Regis!The Portland Museum team is all set up and ready for a weekend of fossil fun. Drop by our stand to...
13/06/2026

Hello from Lyme Regis!
The Portland Museum team is all set up and ready for a weekend of fossil fun. Drop by our stand to explore raised beaches, examine real specimens under the microscope, and chat all things Portland geology.

This weekend sees the fabulous Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, and Portland Museum will be there with a fascinating look at ...
12/06/2026

This weekend sees the fabulous Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, and Portland Museum will be there with a fascinating look at Portland Bill's 'raised beach.'
Ever looked at fossils through a state-of-the-art microscope? Well that's what's on offer on our display, which delves 200,000 years into the past. Our experts can explain how the raised beach is directly connected to climate change.
We'll be at The Hub, just a short walk from the seafront in the Museum and Artists Quarter.
No car? Come by bus X53 from stop K6 Kings Statue, on Saturday at 09.12 and 10.22, back 17.39. 18.39 or on Sunday, 09.21 and 10.25, back 17.37 or 18.37.

11/06/2026

Lovely friends of the museum Sally and Nev will be at the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival this weekend.
Here they are when the spotlight fell on them, and Sir David Attenborough came to tea.

'She sells sea shells' is brought to life this weekend by the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival - and we'll be there with a fas...
11/06/2026

'She sells sea shells' is brought to life this weekend by the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival - and we'll be there with a fascinating insight into Portland Bill's famous 'raised beach.'
Our stand, featuring a chance for you to get up close and personal with fossils with a state-of-the-art professional microscope, will be one of a whole host of great exhibits at The Hub, just a short walk from the seafront in the Museum and Artists Quarter. And yes, there will also be dinosaurs.
You can get there by car, either from the Park and Ride or you could go by bus, Don't miss us. By bus, on Saturday using X53 from stop K6 Kings Statue at 09.12 and 10.22, back 17.39. 18.39 or 19.38; or 09.21 and 10.25 on Sunday, back 17.37 or 18.37.

We'll be at Lyme Regis Fossil Festival this coming weekend with an interactive display explaining Portland's famous 'r...
10/06/2026

We'll be at Lyme Regis Fossil Festival this coming weekend with an interactive display explaining Portland's famous 'raised beach' with a chance to see fossils in exquisite detail through a state-of-the-art microscope.
Head for The Hub where the museum team will be on hand to answer all your questions, and explain the link between the raised beach and climate change.
Don't miss us. By car, or bus X53 from stop K6 Kings Statue at 09.12 and 10.22, back 17.39. 18.39 or 19.38, on Saturday, 09.21 and 10.25 Sunday, back 17.37 or 18.37.

02/06/2026

A quick update from the museum:
We’re unable to open today due to illness. Thank you for your patience and kindness, it means a lot to our small team.
We’ll be open again tomorrow and look forward to welcoming you back. Wishing you all a lovely Tuesday.

Address

217 Wakeham
Portland
DT51HS

Telephone

+441305821804

Website

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