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Dorset Museum & Art Gallery in Dorchester will host a celebration event on April 18, coinciding with World Heritage Day and marking 25 years since the Jurassic Coast was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2001.
World Heritage Day, established in 1982 and recognised by UNESCO in 1983, celebrates the world’s cultural and natural heritage, reminding us of our shared duty to protect these sites for future generations.
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Sam Scriven, Principal Officer World Heritage for Dorset Coast Forum, said: “It is wonderful to see such a vibrant celebration of World Heritage Day taking place at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery this year.
“The breadth of activities and talks on offer showcases how interconnected and how valuable our shared heritage really is.
“A perfect way to mark the 25th anniversary of the Jurassic Coast being a World Heritage Site.”
The Jurassic Coast spans 95 miles from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset and is England’s only natural World Heritage Site.
It is recognised for its geological significance, with 185 million years of Earth’s history recorded in its cliffs, beaches, and fossil beds.
Visitors can explore rock formations from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, offering rare insights into ancient environments, climate change, and mass extinctions.
The celebration will include guided gallery tours, family crafts, hands-on fossil and object handling, and behind-the-scenes tours of the museum’s collections.
The Victorian Hall will host displays from museums and wildlife groups.
Claire Dixon, Executive Director at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, said: “We are delighted to host this programme for World Heritage Day, working with Dorset Coast Forum to showcase the World Heritage status of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.
“As a civic space, our museum welcomes those who work, live, and visit Dorchester to take part, highlighting the value of our stories, collections, and people and making them accessible to everyone.”
A programme of talks will feature figures such as Mark Damon Chutter, Chair and Academic Director of the Thomas Hardy Society, and artist Jeremy Gardiner, who will present work celebrating the Jurassic Coast through 100 paintings.
Geologist, broadcaster and author Anjana Khatwa will close the day with a talk exploring geological World Heritage sites and the stories they reveal.
Visitors will also receive 10 per cent off museum admission, available both online and at the door.
For a full programme of events, visit the Dorset Museum website.
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