5 good reasons to visit Dinosaur Isle

Know how excited kids (and adults!) get about the T-Rex skeleton at the Natural History Museum? Well tell them about Dinosaur Isle and be prepared for a whole new level of pee-your-pants excitement! As if that wasn’t a good enough reason to go, we’ve listed 5 more to get you motivated to visit Dinosaur Isle on the Isle of Wight. 

Exhibits

The rocky shoreline of the Isle of Wight holds the best clues in Europe to unlocking the mysteries of the dinosaurs, as well as providing insight into potential future environment changes! Dinosaur Isle has an extensive exhibit of over 30,000 specimens ranging from the Early Cretaceous to Early Oligocene and Pleistocene age, specialising in fossilised remains and showcasing the best the Island has to offer.

Fossil Walks

As soon as you hear the beaches are covered in fossils, the natural first instinct is to go have a look for yourself. The museum runs regular fossil walks to help get you started looking in the right area. Once you know the area, you can head out on your own but take care to stay a safe distance away from the face of the cliffs as past extensive excavations have made them unstable. The walk costs £5 for adults, £4 for concession, £3.70 for kids, and there are two family ticket options both under £20. Dogs are allowed as long as they are well behaved and on a lead.

Location, Location, Location

After several venue changes, a rare collection of fossils has finally been housed in a stimulating purpose-built structure. Opened in 2001, it is the first custom built dinosaur museum in Europe and is designed to resemble the shape of a gigantic pterosaur. Perched on top of the fossil rich cliffs at Sandown, the museum is big enough to accommodate life-sized models of the dinosaurs. The surrounding area is an outstanding area of natural beauty and the museum has a fantastic view out over the sea with easy access to the beach too.

Dino Links

Dinosaur Isle acts as a gateway to the island’s other dinosaur attractions. It is a great first point of call to buff up your knowledge before moving on to other dinosaur related curiosities. After an educational morning at Dinosaur Isle, the giant models at Blackgang Chine Amusement Park’s Dinosaur Land will be even more fascinating, as will the curious fossils and trinkets at Jurassic Jim’s shop. You can also test your dino knowledge while following the Dinosaur Island Trail to hunt down the island’s meteorite locations.

Many Nearby Attractions

Dinosaur Isle is close to other attractions which are also an important part of the island’s history and culture. Well worth checking out is the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Take a ride on one of the beautifully restored locomotives to fully appreciate the splendour of the Isle of Wight and learn about the Island’s steam railway heritage. East of Dinosaur Isle is Bembridge Windmill, the only surviving windmill of the island. Built in 1700, this windmill still has most of its machinery intact and is one of the island’s most recognisable landmarks. There is also the zoo, Shanklin Chine heritage centre and fisherman’s cottage to explore!

As the island plays host to several large international events throughout the year including a summer music festival, motorbike race, and the 'Round the Island' sail boat race, the Isle of Wight is used to accommodating all kinds of travellers, and can cater to any budget. There is a high number of quality camp and caravan sites within easy access of Dinosaur Isle so you don’t have to worry about traipsing from one end of the island and back again with the kids. It is also easy to get to Dinosaur Isle if you are coming from England. Just hop on a ferry from Portsmouth Harbour and land on the Isle of Wight at either Fishbourne or Ryde. From both ports, it is then less than a 10 mile journey along good roads to the museum. Now that all the practical adult matters are taken care of, get out there with your wellies and magnifying glass and let your inner child out!