The UK is a treasure trove of natural history and geology museums. Explore 10 of the best in our guide.
One of the best things about geology is how tactile it is. Those millions of years of change can be seen and even touched in the form of fossils, minerals and dinosaur skeletons.
This makes it an ideal subject for a museum. And here in the UK, we're spoiled for choice.
Yes, there's the Natural History Museum in London, one of the wonders of the modern world. But there are university collections, private collections, interactive experiences and more.
So join us as we count down 10 of the best geology museums in the UK – from Fort William down to Dorset.
1. The Rotunda Museum, Scarborough
Built in 1829, Scarborough's Rotunda Museum holds one of the finest collections of Jurassic geological specimens on the Yorkshire Coast.
Its curved design was suggested by William Smith – AKA the Father of English Geology – and realised by architect Richard Hey Sharp.
Treasures include the skeleton of the Gristhorpe Man, found buried in a tree trunk, and the Speeton Plesiosaur. In total, the collection boasts more than 5,000 fossils and 3,000 minerals.
2. Horniman Museum and Gardens, London
Sure, the Natural History Museum gets all the footfall. For our money, though, the Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill, South London, is one of the best geology museums in the UK.
The Horniman is famous for its eclectic collections, housing everything from taxidermied animals to musical instruments.
It's also home to some fantastic fossils in the Natural History Gallery. Some of these specimens are around 500 million years old. They include a remarkable Megalodon tooth unearthed in South Carolina, USA.
3. Lapworth Museum of Geology, Birmingham
Universities play a key role in preserving and analysing geological specimens. One of the best collections is at the University of Birmingham's Lapworth Museum of Geology on its Edgbaston campus.
It's named after the 19th-century geologist Charles Lapworth and dates back to 1880.
One of the strengths of the Lapworth Museum is that it caters to all sorts of visitors: families, children, students of science, curious adults and specialist geologists.
Its exhibitions tell the story of life on Planet Earth over the course of 4.5 billion years. They include more than 250,000 fossils, rocks and minerals.
4. Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life, Kimmeridge, Purbeck
The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site, covering 96 miles from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset – and 185 million years of geological history.
Its rich hoards of fossilised remains make it a much-loved and much-studied destination. And in the village of Kimmeridge, the Etches Collection houses a remarkable collection of marine fossils from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation.
5. Stone Science, Anglesey
This family-owned museum is home to one of the biggest collections of fossils in Wales.
It's a museum that actively encourages participation. Children of all ages can touch many of the specimens, and there are plenty of videos to bring the subject to life.
The museum also includes dioramas showing the Earth's evolution and a brief history of dinosaurs. There are fossils, crystals, minerals, Native American arrowheads, and more.
6. Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle.
Opened in 1884, the Great North Museum is located on Newcastle University's campus, just next to the Great North Road.
It's a large museum with a wide range of collections. Among these are some impressive palaeontological collections.
Perhaps the most impressive are Thomas Atthey and Thomas Barkas' Coal Measure Fossil collections. These, however, are just the tip of the iceberg. There are also vertebrate, invertebrate and botanical specimens from the Permian, Carboniferous and other prehistoric areas.
7. Oxford University Museum of Natural History
This world-class natural history museum contains some of the earliest surviving fossil collections. Its collections are a who's who of English geology: William Burchell, Charles Lyell, William Buckland and John Tradescant the elder and his son.
Along with its geological treasures, the museum contains a 1651 painting of a dodo by Jan Savery. This may have inspired the Dodo in Lewis Carroll's
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Carroll was a regular visitor and was sure to have seen this weird and wonderful picture.
Museum lovers should also check out the adjoining Pitt Rivers Museum, which specialises in archaeology and anthropology.
8. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of Scotland's most popular museums. Located in Kelvingrove Park in the city's West End, it's been dazzling visitors since 1901.
Among the paintings, ceramics, medieval arms and Scottish history, there's a wealth of palaeontological specimens.
These include dinosaurs, the remains of Carboniferous tropical forests, coral seas and early fish. There's the skeleton of a huge Irish deer, the rare fossil of a water scorpion and much, much more.
And as you'd expect from a Victorian museum, the building itself is splendid.
9. The Ulster Museum, Belfast
The Ulster Museum began life as the Belfast Natural History Society in 1821. Today, it's home to collections of fine art, archaeology, zoology, the Spanish Armada – you name it.
It's also worth visiting for its fossils, minerals, rocks and meteorites. The museum is home to the only two dinosaur bones ever found in Ireland, discovered by the late Roger Byrne in the rocks of Islandmagee, on the east coast of County Antrim.
10. Treasures of the Earth, Fort William
This award-winning attraction in Fort William, Inverness-shire, is an atmospheric simulation of caves filled with gemstones, crystals and fossils.
There are amethyst geodes, some as tall as seven feet. There are gemstones, including rubies, diamonds, garnets and emeralds. There's the world's biggest gold nugget. There's a life-size T-Rex skull. There's even some dinosaur dung.
On top of all this, visitors get to see the Ultraviolet Cave and watch the crystal glow under the UV light.
Talking of ultraviolet caves, did you know that the caves at Stump Cross also glow under ultraviolet light? Book a slot after 3PM to take part in our
glow-in-the-dark cave experience. Guided by a special UV torch, you'll watch the rocks light up like strange alien jewels.
And best of all, you can snatch a whopping 25% off your ticket – but only if you
book online.
