Background to the project.
Nearly twenty years ago, the idea for a museum dedicated to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site was first proposed. It came out of a study that looked into what opportunities existed to make the most of World Heritage status. The idea for a new museum was adopted by the management group of the Jurassic Coast and it has been written into every management plan for the World Heritage Site ever since. Unfortunately, it was never seriously pursued. In the meantime, museums along the Jurassic Coast independently undertook their own major developments and redevelopments, incorporating information about the Jurassic Coast into new exhibitions.
Now, as the Jurassic Coast Trust has grown and changed, we can meaningfully explore the potential for a new museum dedicated to the World Heritage Site. Ultimately, this position is as a result of what we have learnt through our ongoing Jurassic Coast Collection programme which seeks to improve access to and engagement with fossils from the Site, support the management and sustainability of public collections, and address the long-term security of privately owned specimens.